The Weight of Possessions

I was reading a quote that resonated with me today. It began;

"I do not seek possessions. Possessions possess the possessor.".

How prophetic, how axiomatic at a time when we're deciding a path for our future. Should we buy the big house and the fancy car and be happy for now? Can we make do with whatever we have and save for a comfortable (more than comfortable, a secure) future? Is the house we live in still meeting our needs? And what exactly are our needs anyway?

And therein lies the key...What are our needs in this modern world we live in? It seems easy, even flippant to say that our needs never change, that the basics; food, water, shelter are our only real needs. I think it downplays the fact that our needs are actually ever changing. It might seem frivolous or even pretentious to think that we actually need more than our parents needed; or our grandparents. However, I'm inclining to the thought that each generation's "needs" are different.

The basic human needs never change, of course, but if we assume that having our needs fulfilled is what makes us happy, productive members of society, then we have to concede that our needs differ with changing society and technology.

Are my children ingrates to suggest that they "need" an iTouch? Perhaps. However, given how much of education is now being delivered through recorded lectures/lessons on iTunes, given how many truly worthwhile educational applications there are, I'm not so sure anymore. I know that my parents thought it outrageous when I presented the argument to them, while at university, that I "needed" a computer, yet now, there are few homes we're familiar with that don't have at least one computer (and often many more!).

Does this justify rampant consumerism? No. I don't think so. Certainly not in my book anyway. I still believe in encouraging the children to save for things they really want. It's still important to LomL and me that they earn what they desire and that gratification is delayed, not instantaneous. Encouragingly, B1 and B2 are still as thrilled with toys from the thrift shop or $2 shop as they are with the big, expensive presents. I'm grateful that they still see the value in giving to those less fortunate in life or those with less means or access. I hope we're instilling these important values in them and I hope that they don't become possessed by possessions.