Going, Going, Gone*

(*And this deal doesn’t come with a mail in rebate – so don’t bother fishing around in the bag for it on the drive back to the suburbs.)

I think one reason I don’t relate to some people is we don't want to talk about the same things. For me, I want to talk about what I've learned, what I've seen, what I've experienced, who I've loved, what I dream and why I'm "here". This doesn't go over very well in the lunch room.

Instead I hear some (or most -depending on where I'm listening) people talking about their "stuff". These people are living a very materialistic-oriented life. Talking about their cars breaking down, getting fixed, the new furnace they’ve installed in their second home, swimming pools, new home gadgets, it’s endless. And it literally is.

Materialism breeds more materialism. The more stuff that gets bought, the more accessories it needs and the more fixing it requires. To the point basically a lot of people I listen to on a daily basis are servants to their stuff. I picture the servants all dressed up in black and white sitting around the servants' table in the kitchen of the maison bitching and moaning about how awful it was to work for their masters today. I don't find I have a seat at this servants' table. Sometimes I catch myself feeling lonely. When really I should be glad I don't have anything to contribute to this mindless slapping of gums. I'm glad. Maybe I have zero to say because I don't have a house, car or any other materialistic master (aside from maybe computers). But even if I did, I don't think I would discuss this "stuff" to the point of exclusivity.

There’s nothing wrong with wanting, working for, and getting enjoyable stuff. Even I want some stuff! But I’m talking about people for whom the getting of the stuff is all there is. Listen to them talk. There’s your first clue. If they do manage to talk about personal relationships, listen closely. It’s usually in relationship to stuff.

(Note: That’s stuff they can’t take with them when they go.”) Which doesn’t seem to bother most of them as they don’t have a concept that one day they will “go”. And they certainly don’t have a concept of where they’ll “go to”. Which, I suppose, stands to reason since they aren’t “going” anywhere in their lives, other than materialistic consumption and acquisition, so why would they go anywhere in their deaths. Death being a concept they would not apply to themselves. This is the only explanation I can come up with to explain these people who seem to have so little concern for leaving something behind. For creating a legacy, other than the kids they popped out – which aren’t legacies, but are in fact just more stuff. No interest in scratching the glass of infinity with a message that says,

“I was here.”

All they’re going to leave behind is their stuff.

I’ll Always Remember

He ran through the rain to give me the lunch I’d left behind. To kiss me and tell me he loved me. This certainly doesn’t happen every day. In fact, I didn’t think it would EVER happen in my life. Which makes me appreciate it happening even more. No matter what else happens, this has to be a good day.