For the last few days, I've been going through all of my old stuff and deciding what to keep, what to sell, and what to give away. Most of it is old junk I haven't used in years, but it still is hard for me to get rid of my possessions. Buddhists believe that possessions are the cause of all that is evil in this world, but I'm still having trouble letting go. I know my old bowling ball doesn't fit my fingers very well; I know I haven't picked it up in at least five years; I know I wouldn't have even noticed if somebody had taken it away when I wasn't looking. Despite all of these facts, it still is difficult for me to part with something that has been with me for over a decade. My clothes, my tapes, and even my shoes have become a part of me over the years. So many memories are tied into this â"junk," and they're not even the pictures and souvenirs that carry real sentimental value.
I know I could probably keep a lot of this stuff. I could let my possessions accumulate throughout my life. I could haul them from apartment to apartment, house to house, till the day I die. I could do that, but I'm determined not to. I'm trying to cleanse my soul. I only hope my bowling ball makes some kid happy someday. And I hope his name is "Dan," too, because if it isn't, then having a "Dan" bowling ball would be really weird.
