I saw this video just the other day of this lady that owns a cleaning company. She was cleaning out a house of an elderly person that had just passed away.
The video hit me, you know. But, because it was a contrast of values. The little place was full of stuff: Trinkets, pictures, furniture. The family of the lady who lived there wanted none of it- to them nothing had value.
As she cleaned up and threw everything into black plastic bags, I felt as if death itself was mocking us from the other side. Why collect these things? For who? For what? What do I take with me?
But listen, I'm not judging anyone who collects trinkets and assigns value to old pictures- all of us do this. I'm just saying its a good idea to remember that they are as temporary as us.
Absolutely true.
I find myself stepping back and reviewing regularly... and remembering that I was raised in an environment were "the family stuff" was held in great esteem, but when I break it down into my personal values — and remembering that all those who subscribed to that doctrine are long dead — the only "family stuff" I actually care about is carried as memories, not as physical things.
Which is also a sobering reminder that much of my family placed higher value on "things" than on "people."
Which doesn't really match up with what I believe in.
Still, if I can sell the stuff to someone who cares — rather than see it ending up in the landfill — then that feels like a right and proper thing...
Life is brief and fragile... and shrouds have no pockets.