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A Box Full of Stuff

Guest post by: Jim Stovall

Article Overview: All of us go through those seemingly insignificant points in life that, in retrospect, are turning points. I remember the day that our family came to the decision that my grandfather could no longer live in his house alone, but would need to move into a retirement center. He was well into his 90s and had called that house his home for over 60 years. It was full of trinkets, mementos, personal treasures, and memories.

A Box Full of Stuff

All of us go through those seemingly insignificant points in life that, in retrospect, are turning points. I remember the day that our family came to the decision that my grandfather could no longer live in his house alone, but would need to move into a retirement center. He was well into his 90s and had called that house his home for over 60 years. It was full of trinkets, mementos, personal treasures, and memories.

On the fateful day he was going to move approximately 200 miles to another city where more of our family could be close to him, we made arrangements to make the move as easy as possible. You will be happy to learn that, as a blind person, I don't drive, but I am blessed to have a limousine and a driver. I sent the driver to pick up my grandfather and all of his "stuff" in the limousine. My grandfather had ridden in the limo several times, but-as a product of The Great Depression-he never could quite get comfortable with it; however, as it is the most spacious automobile imaginable, I thought he would need the room for all of his "stuff."

When the driver returned and let me know he had successfully deposited my grandfather at the retirement center, I asked if there had been enough room for all of his "stuff." The driver laughed and replied, "He only had one small box, and I just sat it on the seat beside me."

I called the retirement center to make sure he had everything he needed. The staff assured me everything was in place. Although over the next few weeks and months, my parents did bring my grandfather several other items they thought he might need, it struck me that after a whole life of

acquiring "stuff," his basic needs boiled down to one box.

This prompts us to ask ourselves: How much of what we think that we really have to have are things we need? And how many of the things we are seeking are simply different kinds of "stuff" that the media or society has sold us?

Our basic needs are very simple. "Stuff" beyond that is either icing on the cake or baggage that weighs us down. Make sure that you have your "stuff" instead of your "stuff" having you.

Today's the day!

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Article Tags: Jim Stovall, memories, stuff, Value



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