What is "stuff"?

Slowly but surely me leaving the company to travel is getting around the office. Some people are shocked that I am leaving to travel. I can understand why so many people are shocked what I am doing as it is a risk and they have families and mortgages meanwhile I have an apartment full of stuff and a travel addiction. Lots of people are focused on the stuff asking questions like what about all of your things? It makes me realize how focused people are on their possessions.  When I really look at what I have an old tube tv, dvd player, movies, video games, some furniture, clothes, dishes and other useless junk. The most important things in my apartment are my outdoor gear, souvenirs from earlier travels and passport. I am baffled how critical people think stuff is. Sure it costs money for all of this "stuff" but so what? Too many people don't own things rather their possessions own them. I do have some people say "good for you" or "congratulations", or "must be nice". It would have been nice at this point in my life to be married with kids and a nice house in the burbs but that hasn't happened. I am realizing the more you make the more you spend. When I was a student a trip was a weekend in Toronto which I could hardly afford a 25 dollar meal was very expensive. You make more money and you go from a 20,000 dollar car to a 30,000 to a 50,000 dollar car and instead of spending 1,000 dollars on a couch maybe its 3,000 dollars. I drive to Banff for a weekend and my car is full of "stuff" meanwhile I can travel to five different countries over a span of three weeks with one backpack. I've had people tell me I need a new tv because mine is old but hey it works. I know other people who need the latest technology and get a new phone every year other people who have to wear the latest fashions.

So what "stuff" is really important to me? Family, friends, beer, tasty food, being active, exploring something old (ruins, past civilizations), cultures, the nature, animals, outdoors, those moments in life when your heart is just pumping from being scared or adrenaline, feeling good about yourself, helping others, the surprises that happen in life, music, new experiences.....living life for what is is and what makes you feel good not because it is what society tells you is right and wrong.

We all need to make sacrifices and decisions in life but sometimes you need to see them for what they really are.

Tuna Tom

Life is a long road with many crossroads but there is no going back only going forward.