You Need That?

Another of the appealing teachings of the Buddha is that it teaches that we should inventory our lives and identify the things that bring happiness to ourselves and others and then also find the things that make us all miserable.

It is amazing how we fill our lives with things that do not bring true happiness and in addition, many of us work ourselves to death trying to maintain or even to obtain these things. As I walk my neighborhood and spy into people's open garage doors, it is amazing how many are so full that you couldn’t walk through it, let alone park a car in it.

Do we need that much stuff to be happy?

The reality channels on TV all have hit series about hoarding and organizing. People have placed their health, both mental and physical, at risk in order to obtain and store as many belongings as possible.

I struggle with this and have purged many items from my life, but there still is way too much stuff cluttering my existence.

I also struggle with celebrating the non-material things in my life that bring happiness. I have become a cynic and curmudgeon. My outlook needs to become happier and more appreciative of the good things. 

Lastly, I need to shun the attitudes and feelings that bring me and others down.

My hope is that by admitting it, maybe I can fix it?

Roy Richard
June 2023