Thursday, January 21, 2010

A Loving Ode to Your Stuff and Mine...


{all photos via ffffound}

This might sound strange, but I love my stuff: all of my little quirky collections, hand-me-downs, gifts received from friends and loved ones over the years. Does this make me materialistic? Well...yes! But, maybe materialism doesn't have to be such a dirty word. What if we thought of it this way: if you are materialistic, you cherish your things, you see them as connecting you with others, both past and present; you value the things you have worked hard for; you are deeply sentimental. This doesn't mean you are necessarily greedy or even that cherish objects more than people. Perhaps it just means you find value and comfort in the things you have lovingly gathered around you.

The people we often accuse of being materialistic are typically the ones who see their stuff as ephemeral, replaceable, throwaway -- the ones who are always after the next best, biggest, blinking object of desire. But, this isn't materialism, this is the opposite -- this is a blatant dissatisfaction with possessions, a driving need to fill a void with more and more and more to no avail...

I would like to bring "materialism" back into the light, take away its status as a dirty word, and renew our connection with the things that fill our homes and hearts. I'm not calling for a preoccupation or obsession with stuff, but rather, a simple nod to the value our unique posessions bring to our life -- however small, strange, or worthless they might seem to others. Let's give our stuff a little love!!














8 comments:

bloodmilk. said...

o i love this post. this is most certainly my life too!
xo

Anonymous said...

Hear, hear!

Poesis said...

This post is so wonderful - I love how a feeling of being at peace is found simultaneously with shedding new light on certain 'conventional notion.' All the photos are absolutely gorgeous too!

A "cheery" disposition said...

beautiful photos.

s&p said...

This is a visually stimulating post that causes one to reflect on the slow accumulation and aquisition of objects that become emotionally intertwined in our lives.
Thank you for sharing your perspective. It is one that I relate to whole heartedly.

Xx
s

Jen said...

Ooh, such beautiful things! I'm especially intrigued by the one of the necklaces hanging on the wall. I think I might do that- it made me realize what a shame it is for all my pretty jewelry to be hidden away in a box.

{Tara} said...

Bloodmilk -- Glad to know I'm not the only proud "materialist!"

Airam -- Thanks, m'dear!

Poesis -- Thank you so much -- glad you enjoyed. I think too often we get stuck in our common perception of things; I like to shake it up a bit ;)

Cheery -- Thanks so much, and thanks for stopping in to comment!

S&P -- I am so happy you could relate. I think it is important to think about our "relationship" with things. It sounds weird, but we spend so much time buying, arranging, moving our things that we should truly be sure we cherish them.

Jen -- True, I have mine hanging on hooks along the wall -- I love looking at them, because Lord knows they don't get worn nearly enough!

Anonymous said...

Exactly Tara! You inspired me to show my quirky collections on From Betsy with Love... WOW It's getting creepy how much we're alike ; )

Love, Betsy.