“Enough to acknowledge the best of the life already lived without weighing down the life to come.” I read this until it stopped making me stop breathing. This has become a huge struggle for me, to let go of a lifetime of things I held onto, rather than saying words. We’re preparing for a major move and this will become my new mantra. Thank you! I love the gargoyle and your descriptions of how you allowed space to let him move on.
Joy, thank you. It’s huge, isn’t it? To let go of our objects. So worth it, though. Living with few possessions is freeing in ways I didn’t even anticipate. Wishing you all the best in that major move.
This one was so fun to read, that gargoyle has seen a lot!! If I had been on Facebook when this went up, I too would have praised the furrowed brows. Reminds me of how I sit in the shower on my contemplative days haha
lol, it does look deep in thought, doesn’t it? I was told I did this a lot as a kid—sit silently and stare, totally absorbed in thought. Maybe that’s why I bought it and kept it all those years…
As someone who moved into an apartment after the kids went to college, I recently went through a lot of things. This phrase: "Enough to acknowledge the best of the life already lived without weighing down the life to come." Amazing. I really loved reading this whole essay!
Launa, What a beautiful story. I wonder where the Gargole ended up. I am sure he continues to spread the love and joy you held for him. If you have read any of my work, you know that I consider myself a "Minimal Maximalist". I collect and display small things in my condo. I gifted a LOT of items to "Michael's Museum: A Curous Collection of Tiny Treasures" a permanent exhibit since 2011 at Chicago Children's Museum on Navy Pier. Being 80+ I have had to think about the future of my current collections. Some will move to Navy Pier, some will go with family and freinds, some will be returned to the buy/sell/cherist cycle. I am OK with all of that. Fondly, Michael
Michael, your project sounds delightful! I’d like to think the gargoyle is now in an organic garden gaining a nice patina of moss. Something I’m learning about giving up stuff is also giving up my opinion about stuff. When my adult children wanted something during this process and I gave it to them, I said hey, I’m glad this is useful, but if you change your mind and get rid of it, I will never ask you about it. It really is yours, not mine.
“Enough to acknowledge the best of the life already lived without weighing down the life to come.” I read this until it stopped making me stop breathing. This has become a huge struggle for me, to let go of a lifetime of things I held onto, rather than saying words. We’re preparing for a major move and this will become my new mantra. Thank you! I love the gargoyle and your descriptions of how you allowed space to let him move on.
Joy, thank you. It’s huge, isn’t it? To let go of our objects. So worth it, though. Living with few possessions is freeing in ways I didn’t even anticipate. Wishing you all the best in that major move.
This one was so fun to read, that gargoyle has seen a lot!! If I had been on Facebook when this went up, I too would have praised the furrowed brows. Reminds me of how I sit in the shower on my contemplative days haha
lol, it does look deep in thought, doesn’t it? I was told I did this a lot as a kid—sit silently and stare, totally absorbed in thought. Maybe that’s why I bought it and kept it all those years…
As someone who moved into an apartment after the kids went to college, I recently went through a lot of things. This phrase: "Enough to acknowledge the best of the life already lived without weighing down the life to come." Amazing. I really loved reading this whole essay!
Thanks, Sara. I hope you love your apartment. Iove living with so few possessions; I didn’t even know how free I would feel until we did it.
Such a great post. Thank you for sharing my story about finding love in ordinary objects!
Launa, What a beautiful story. I wonder where the Gargole ended up. I am sure he continues to spread the love and joy you held for him. If you have read any of my work, you know that I consider myself a "Minimal Maximalist". I collect and display small things in my condo. I gifted a LOT of items to "Michael's Museum: A Curous Collection of Tiny Treasures" a permanent exhibit since 2011 at Chicago Children's Museum on Navy Pier. Being 80+ I have had to think about the future of my current collections. Some will move to Navy Pier, some will go with family and freinds, some will be returned to the buy/sell/cherist cycle. I am OK with all of that. Fondly, Michael
Michael, your project sounds delightful! I’d like to think the gargoyle is now in an organic garden gaining a nice patina of moss. Something I’m learning about giving up stuff is also giving up my opinion about stuff. When my adult children wanted something during this process and I gave it to them, I said hey, I’m glad this is useful, but if you change your mind and get rid of it, I will never ask you about it. It really is yours, not mine.
Launa, The true meaning of a gift. Once given, it no longer yours about which to inquire. Fondly, Michael
"It looked amazing on the highest shelf of my bookcase. I imbued it with hope"
I love this whole essay but this line really spoke to me. It's such a human thing isn't it? To imbue inanimate objects with hope.
oh my word, so true. Thanks for reading, Dhana.