Stuff, space and ageing
There is so much stuff and it seems to accumulate the more one ages. I just spent the afternoon clearing out one person’s (my grandmothers) lifetime’s accumulation of interesting-and-meaningful-but-redundant boxes of stuff. (I didn’t even begin to sort the papers...)
It has all brought me to wonder about about the process of growing old and owning stuff. Everything just sits there, but the person who owns it can think of hundreds of reasons not to throw it away.
For example, a box full of
stamps
(which are, BTW, worth something by now, or attached to letters with nostalgic qualities about them)
and pencils
(that can still be used),
and books
(that still need to be read because they are interesting, and we still don’t know..)
and matches
(that we got at such a place with a pretty picture on it)
And of course the china, linens and silver
(never mind that we never use them and have a cupboard full of more--they are valuable and hold memories)
After spending enough time with the Ancient in the Western world I begin to desire an early death. I think maybe 50... The west is made for young people.
After today I have decided that when I am at a certain age (the age where it is hard to move ) then I will get rid of most of my stuff (give it to the young children who think that Grandma’s collection of used stamps is really interesting) and live in a two room house with a fire place.
what I will do all day I am not sure... Read carefully what I am too busy to read now I suppose and play music. Pet the cat.
I think maybe life does not begin until you are old. I suspect so because from 20-50 you are really just shaping through life experience the type of old person you will be. From 50-90 you have to live with yourself with relatively few distractions.
Also, what makes for a good old person?
posted by Sasha @ 6:58 PM
1 comments
1 Comments:
As the pater antiquus who is 50 years old, I would like to comment about getting older. Yes, in many ways it's nice to be 50, but the physical part is less-than-delightful. I have a lot less energy than I had even ten years ago, and also I can tell that miscellaneous aches and pains have started.
But, I am a lot less nervous and worried about a lot of things. You are right, the West is made for young people. I know from personal experience that it's hard for someone my age to get a job because employers want younger and younger people. I just read an article about how Ericsson is offering buyouts to employees between 35 & 50....see this article. Gee whiz, 35 is very young to be retired! It seems like other cultures (e. g. Chinese) actually value older people for their knowledge and experience. In the US and Europe, we are heading towards everyone choosing a "McLife" from a limited menu, which is very compartmentalized and which doesn't value our true potentials and individuality.
Anyway, I think God gives us a life and lets us figure out how we're supposed to deal with it during its different stages. The key is accepting it all gracefully and responding to the challenges each phase presents (instead of always wishing we were some other age) - which is not easy!
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