Last week, I watched an interview with Mel Gibson, who lost his home to the wildfires in Los Angeles. His son managed to save a few things, like passports and some documents, but many items—books from the 15th century, paintings, and other valuables—were consumed by the flames. “You know, I look at his strange mixture of sadness and almost kind of an elation in. I´m just gonna count my blessings you know no matter what these are things and they may or may not they replaceable, but they’re only things and we’re still here and I just kinda look at it. It’s almost in a weird kind of way of purification” he said.
This statement made me think. Mentally, I walked through my house, floor by floor, imagining what I would take with me in the event of an evacuation. On the first pass, I thought of my old paper photos stored in two boxes. Of course, things like my passport, laptop, and similar items also came to mind, but that was about it.
On the second pass, I thought more about the photos. Why would I take them? Well, because they’re memories. Right. But here’s the thing: I was there. Everything on paper is also stored somewhere in my mind and memories. Sure, it would be sad if they were gone, but would it be the end of the world? Probably not.
The same applies to my laptop and phone. There was a time when losing these would have been a disaster for me. But today, thanks to Google and the cloud, everything is backed up and recoverable.
Why am I sharing these thoughts with you? Because I’ve come to realize more and more that all the material things I once placed so much value on are, at the end of the day, just that—things. Material possessions. If I wouldn’t even save them in an emergency and they don’t hold importance in my daily life, why do I still have them? Why do I need ten pairs of jeans, twenty pairs of shoes, and thirty shirts when I only regularly wear the same three or four?
Where have you accumulated things in your life that now control you? Things you need to maintain, clean, dust, or otherwise care for, but never actually use? They’ve just been in the way for ages. Why are they still there? The German band Silbermond says it perfectly: “It’s easier to travel with light luggage.” Maybe it’s time to consider decluttering, giving things away, selling them, or passing them on to someone who would truly value them.
The same goes for food. I’m currently emptying out my fridge and freezer. There’s so much stuff in there, just sitting around. And yet, we keep buying more and more, as if we’re competing for some prize for hoarding. Eventually, the food expires, and we throw it away. Or we donate clothes we’ve never worn to charity—because hey, they were such a great deal! Sounds familiar, doesn’t it?
What do you really need to be happy? Everything material or external can be lost in minutes, as Mel Gibson and thousands of others have experienced. Take a moment to reflect. What is truly, truly important? And could you start letting go of the rest, little by little? You’ll see how much lighter the journey of life feels. Because if you have less, there’s less to lose. One less worry. Hooray.
I admire Mel Gibson’s attitude. Let me close this week’s reflection with a quote from Ryan Holiday:
“We forget: In life, it doesn’t matter what happens to you or where you came from. It matters what you do with what happens and what you’ve been given. Each obstacle we overcome makes us stronger for the next one.”
With that, I wish you a wonderful week and happy decluttering.