A Legacy of Quality

The American Dream - to own a house, have nice cars, climb the ladder in your career, and shoot for the stars. All of this comes with loads of “stuff” you never use and really do not need. We get storage units to store our holiday decorations, our grown-up toys, documents that could be scanned into our computers. It’s just stuff. We cannot take it with us and more than likely our children do not want it either. This is what I discovered as the trustee of my parents’ estate. They passed in 2021 and 2022, and I am still not quite done with all the “stuff” they left behind and what my siblings did not want. All that stuff is in a storage unit now.  All of the stuff is the baggage from childhood and adult trauma and abuse. I have been literally taking it with me wherever I move for decades. It is time to let it all go. 

I am going minimalistic this year. This will allow me to create the quality of life that I have been wanting while making it ever so meaningful. I was reading an article on intentional living in This Evergreen Home on the advantages of the minimalist dream v the American dream; 10 advantages the Minimalist Dream has over the American Dream. The thought of less stuff and less debt feels like a weight would be lifted off my shoulders. I would not be constantly worrying about bills. It takes me almost 40 minutes every time I need to vacuum my big house; remember I have two dogs. I hate to dust, mop, do windows, and clean up the yard after a wind or snow storm. I love to watch it rain or snow. I love to see a beautiful garden and walk down a trail in the forest. I want to be “in” the experience, but not have to be responsible for it. I hope that makes sense.

I want to spend more time with my daughters and their families, to develop deeper professional relationships, and to sit in community with others. I want to learn, explore, experience, read, write, play, and find a deeper meaning in my life. I know my purpose. Even so, my guess is that I really have no idea how deeply my life can go unless I remove the “stuff” that seems to determine my life decisions. 

I have recognized that quality over quantity is what I have been seeking for a very long time. However, I have not, until now, figured out how to make that happen. I want to leave a legacy of quality. 

My adventure lies ahead ~

Julie

If you feel so moved, please reply with your thoughts.

Note: JM Lane is NOT a mental health professional, nor does she carry a license to practice medicine. Posts, blogs, and content are based on JM Lane’s personal experiences, perceptions, and reflections. By no means does any material convey what others should or should not do.