Few days back, I met a gentleman whose wife had died few years back. He shared that she had a collection of more than 200 saris, dresses etc. Many of them were worn just once, many of them were never worn, in routine she used to wear just 3-4 repeatedly. Same thing was with her kitchen. She kept using same cookware but was in habit of collecting more and more. So there were many, which were pristine and their packing was also not opened. Later on, he was sharing that when they got married, he did not have enough money, so they did not have lots of good things at home. She had come from a very affluent family, so she always felt that lack. When they started improving financially, she started buying and kept on buying. But most of them she never used because she felt that they had enough in kitchen for their use.
Have met, few like them, where when one gentleman died, it turned out that he had lots of property here and there. But he never shared with anyone and he always lived a life of misery. Infact he was not allowing his proper treatment also. No one knew he had so much of money and assets. Everyone wondered that why he was not using that money for treatment. Why he kept on piling up debts?
People have various reasons. Often our needs are limited. I am not saying do not desire, definitely, we must, because they make us grow and do better things. But buy what you can use. If there is old stuff, have an heart to give it away. Let someone else also use it. If you can’t give away, then do not buy new one.
If you are buying more than you can use, then always ask, why you are buying it. Is it an emotional gap you are trying to fill up. If yes, then know that, it is not the solution. It is like tying up food on your stomach when you are hungry. It can never satisfy your hunger. If there is an emotional reason, then solve it rather than trying to fill up the gap with things.
