Gratitude for Home

“Be grateful for the home you have, knowing that at this moment, all you have is all you need”

~ Sarah Ban Breathnach

We are in an age where we are seduced by consumption. The ease of the buy is so streamlined all we have to do is click a button, e voila.. our wants are delivered to our doorstep. Rarely do we need to speak to another human or even leave the house. For those of us who are time poor, this is an incredible tool. But at what cost do we sacrifice convenience for meaning?

Convenience has become the mantra of our consumption. The unique experience of having an interaction with the object of our purchase has been reduced to the purely visual. We have an idea of aesthetics, function, cost and delivery time. But it’s plain to see we are skipping out on many of the queues that help us develop a meaningful relationship with the objects of our desire.

Every time we order online we run the risk of being disappointed. The size, texture, color, form, feel and smell may be totally misaligned with our expectations. Not to mention the delayed gratification of the wait, the mistimed delivery and changing schedules. We are victim to the moving feast of logistics, not always, but enough for us to become agitated when our purchase does not arrive when expected. What’s it all for? Do we need what we consume? Have we considered the story of the objects we buy?

In our homes we are surrounded by stories. Each object that we interact with has one.

How did it come to be, who dreamt of it, who made it, where was it made, why did they choose this color? Nothing is an exception, everything was an idea made real. How many stories can you tell when you look around your home? Which stories inspire a memory that you hold dear? An heirloom, artifact from your travels, a simple gift from someone you love, all have a narrative that spark a feeling within you. We can connect to that feeling and have an internal experience by just looking at or touching the things we surround ourselves with.

With this gesture, the simple, sweet abundance of what we have, can shine. We can reflect and connect with what we love. We can wrap ourselves in meaning and be grateful for the journey and memory each object inspires within us. If you consider your consumption, pause before you press “buy”, you will make choices that align with your vision of “home”. Our gratitude for home can help us see that we have all we need. Our home is the canvas upon which we paint our lives through our objects of desire, memory, meaning and connecting to the people we love. May we enjoy it and may our home reflect who we really are.