Things

Today's song is: ... The Band et al

I have expressed my thoughts about things before, but time in the village is often spent on reflection so here I pontificate on things again.

Things can be classified as necessary, nice-to-have, make-you-smile, and perhaps things-that-define-you.

No one will argue that the first category, necessary is justified. For me, that includes air conditioning, a comfortable bed to sleep on, and sufficient technology to enable me to communicate on a global scale and get my work done. That is about it for my necessary category. 

The nice-to-have category would include my Oakley clothes, gym bag, and expensive tri-focal, sun adjusting glasses to protect my eyes. I may even consider putting the glasses into the necessary category. Ditto for access to a decent fitness facility. You can always make do in your residence, but I consider a tread mill a necessity given the polluted air on Bangkok streets.

Things-that-make-you-smile is a category where art would fit in, if I owned any art. For bar girls, the top of the line iPhone or Samsung is also in this category but I suppose they could also be relegated to the things-that-define-you category. For me, certain motorcycles classify as things-that-make-me-smile. Alas, cars no longer fill that function.

Now for the last and problematic category. Things-that-define-you.  If you find you own a lot of these types of things, consider what would be left if you were to lose them due to illness or accident that would take away your source of income. Divorce can also rapidly deplete these things. A downtown in the economy can likewise do so.  I also think Saint Peter at the gate would discount any items in this category as superfluous. I think about Gucci hand bags and Maserati/Ferrari sports cars.

It begs the question, if not things, then what. I would suggest relationships can easily replace things. Whether it be another person, a child, or an animal, relationships are necessary and should always fall into the make-you-smile category and if they do not, consider jettisoning the relationship.

In my daily life I find myself focusing on relationships more and more. If Peter is indeed the gate keeper, then I think he would ask, 'What memories do you leave behind in those relationships you built throughout your life?'. It would be a good yard stick to judge one's life.

You must remember, you can't take those things with you into the next life (if there is one). Even Buddhists believe the only thing they take with them into their next life is the good karma they have earned along the way in their previous life.

Karma, and an understanding of what is important in life.

Now, if I can just get those Buddhist monks in the village to stop chanting over their PA system at dawn and waking me up :-)

TTYL