Give it away

During the last few days, I have been busy packing away the things I have no need for. It is actually a painful process, knowing that the thousands of dollars spent in acquiring all these things, could have been saved if there was more self-control and reflection. There were so many things that I was tempted to keep as I struggle with the idea of financial "loss".

In the end, what I gained was a precious lesson - to buy what I really need and not what I think will come in useful. I don't think I have fully learned that lesson yet. Nobody will. It is a continual effort to keep yourself in check and requires determination and considerable effort.

It's not an entirely grim situation. I am glad that many of my possessions can be recycled by giving it to friends who will find them useful and organizations who are in need. My bags for example, some of them brand new, can be meaningful gifts to the poor and destitute.

I believe that the simple life is the grateful life. It is heartening to know how people around the world is rallying like never before to help Asia in her darkest hour. Behind all that generosity and kind will, I suspect, is an attitude of gratefulness that says, "I have so much in life, now it's time to give to those who desperately need the little that I can give them".

In my journey to live simply and deeply, I want to own as little as possible. This involves giving things away that I already own and buying and keeping only what I really need. By doing these, I hope that this will put a smile on the faces of people and to free up some of my finances to give more to those in need. This is perhaps what the grateful life is all about.