We are rich. We are unbelievably rich. Yet, by the standards in the community in which we live, we would fall fairly low to average on the scale of economic wealth. However, by the world's comparison our family falls within the top .88% of wealth. Check out your own wealth at Global Rich List to compare how rich you think you are to reality.
We have more than we need. And.I.Can.Feel.It. The boys have more toys than they need or can even play with. I can tell that they are overwhelmed and don't even know how to really play with the toys they have. I have more clothes than I could possibly wear–and I don't even LOVE most of them. I think I definitely follow the pattern of most women and wear 20% of my clothes 80% of the time. The rest just…hangs there.
If you were to gather all your things, each and every possession, and take them outside to display in front of your home would you be pleased? Embarrassed? Disgusted? Well, Peter Menzel asked families across the world and economic spectrum to participate in this portrait project and documented it in the book Material World.
Compare those top three images from Japan, the US, and China with this last image below from an unnamed mountain country family.
How much stuff doing we really need? How much stuff is beneficial? When does stuff become harmful? What do our possessions teach our children? How can we be more intentional about the things we have?
The weight of my stuff weighs heavy in my life. It takes a lot of energy to take care of it all, to keep it all straight, to keep it all up to date. I am going to go through all of our things and decide what is necessary and why it is so. Eeep! Sounds like I have a big job ahead of me.