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| Money, Flickr |
I mentioned to my preteen students that I am on a "no buy" challenge. The best way to describe their reaction is to say "jaw drop". They could not fathom living a life where you buy nothing but necessities (i.e. groceries, gas for the car, and the occasional present when my kids are invited to a friend's birthday party).
The preteens' reaction says a lot about the relationship we, as a society, have with possessions and money.
One of my students asked "But why? Are you poor?" (gotta love children's bluntness). As if the only reason one should limit their spending and acquisition of stuff was out of necessity. I did not go on for too long on the mindfulness-related reasons. I will let the idea simmer in their young heads.
Now for you, young and not-so-young dear readers, two questions to ponder (and to answer in the comments below, of course): What would you do...
...if money was no object?
...if you had all the money and time in the world?
Next week, we will explore and discuss the answers we have gathered. In the meantime, I invite you to watch the following video:
WEEK 20 IN REVIEW
None. I seem to be cured of the consumerist syndrome for good. I might have to drop the "Temptations" rubric altogether. It does help, of course, that the weather has been warm and sunny: I'd rather spend all of my time outdoors than in stores.
Donations (good riddance)
I decided to find one object, in each room of the house, that I don't really need or want anymore. The result: I found one or two things to let go of in each room... until I tackled the playroom. There, with the help of the children, I sorted through the whole contents of the toy chest and the bookshelves. We ended up filling two big garbage bags!
Observations and cogitations
Every time I think I am finally done with my decluttering, I find new things to get rid of. How far will this take me? Some family members are already calling me an extremist (which is an extreme comment in itself, I think). It should be a reminder that minimalism has a thousand faces, and that each person should do it in their own unique way.
Your turn to share about your struggles and victories of the week! What did you resist? Did you donate or get rid of anything? Did you face any challenge? Please comment below! And...
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