Less debt, More love.

This blog...this blog...

Had I written this blog last weekend, when the leaves had just started turning their beautiful green faces towards their fiery hues of red and yellow, this blog along with my facial hue would have been teeming with the same colors.  Last weekend, which seems a perennial fall event for myself, I was seething with repulsion for all things tucked and cluttered in every corner, cupboard and closet of my apparently too large and full house.

For the past, I'd say 5-8 years, my family and I have been trying to break up with commercial consumerism.  This breakup has been slow, and tedious, and it is not over yet. 

My family includes two budding teens and one budding toddler (and myself and hubby).  We live in the Canadian Midwest, where currently there is more affluence and addiction-to-stuff then there has ever been before (according to my short life perspective).  Letting go of our commercial-loving selves has been challenging to do, especially considering I grew up in this unrealistic/unhealthy "normal" consumption of acquirable things. 

Although my husband and I can reasonably consider and see through this toxic and unsustainable reality (of loving commercialism), our children are surely living in another universe at school and with their peers.  In their universe, status and one's capacity to fit in is largely hinged on whether or not they have the right jeans, shoes, ipods, phones, videogames, hairstyles, collectors cards, movie experiences and attitudes.  It is understandably difficult to inspire them to care more about the Earth (their essential home and mother) than their friends' attitudes and opinions: having once been a peer pressured teen  myself, I can relate to their predicament, fitting in REALLY matters.  Not only that, but I raised them for the first half of their lives being unquestioning myself of the brainwashed, false mentality of outsourcing my happiness to the acquisition of material things.

So how do we stay true to our values while still honoring our kids' needs to fit in and be 'normal'? 

Truly, I don't know.  Any suggestions?

We've tried only buying second hand things, we've tried only purchasing eco-friendly things, we've tried buying only recyclable things, we've tried only asking for money for them, we've tried reasoning with them, we've tried putting a complete stop to anything NEW coming into the house....but the things just keep on coming.  And, eventually fall or spring rolls around and mommy has another temper tantrum about our excessive living and about feeling overwhelmed with the management of stuff in our house.

Sometimes I can feel so overwhelmed with trying to keep up with the sorting, storing and managing of our family's stuff that I end up feeling like I'm missing out on time that could have been spent on actually living and having relationships with people...instead of things.

I think these sorts of ideas, of consuming less THINGS, needs to catch fire in our greater community...hence the blog:-).  Obviously it is no use trying to be an island.  I mean, doesn't everybody want less clutter, less debt for unnecessary goods, more time for real R&R and more time with the people and activities you really love? 

Marketing companies have invested a lot of money in researching how to make us BUY THINGS, but really, blaming them for our choices is somewhat futile.  Once conscious of their antics we can reclaim our brain space and simply say 'no' and carry through with our actions.  The next time you are really tempted to deepen your debt for an unethically made in china X-Men toy or Barbie for Jim or Jainie, maybe just ask yourself if you really want to be passing on this unhealthy and unsustainable concept that we are only happy when we have the THINGS we think we want.  Maybe instead plan a 1/2hr run around the park with the kid (or adult) you are wanting to gift something too, or a hot chocolate date out at a special café (in a real mug).  Plan a family picnic or have them over for a sleep over.  Go for a walk in a forest and build a fairy house.  Lift rocks with them searching for bugs and google search what kind of insects you found.  Kids want our time, interest and love way more than the things you can buy them.  In fact, I want your time, interest and love more than things as well. 

So, here, here to a thing-less festive season, to a festive season filled with less debt, more fun, less things and more time spent active and engaged with those we love.

Anyone else on board?

Love and light,
Jenelle