40 Kg in three pieces … and nothing more!

You have many things, too many in fact, but you are not even aware. Thousands of objects that magically accumulate  and fill your house -or houses- and life.

I propose you to do an experiment. It is something intimate and personal that you should not share with anyone.

If you were to emigrate, how many of your possessions would be important and essential to your existence? Which would be your priority? *

Reduce everything you have, everything you have accumulated in your life – be it long or short – in three pieces only and to a total of 40 KG.

This exercise will tell you a lot about yourself and it will be stimulating because it will make you think about your existence, your life, your attachments and what is important to you. It will focus you on what is really worthwhile, it will make you less attached to material things, it will make you discover forgotten and important memories and, perhaps, it will make you read your already yellow love letters, touch your wedding dress, or it will make you think about how much you loved that person whom now you do not value as before.

Do not be afraid, try, it is just an exercise.

In my life – which becomes longer and longer – I have had to do it five times at various ages and stages, and not as an experiment, and each time it has been different.

You will see that in the first instance it is as if you do not want to accept the fact that you must decide. It is hard. Because everything is yours, everything seems important, necessary. Each object has a story, or reminds you of something or someone.

Enter each room, and look around. What will you do with your books? Most of it will not be able to go with you and the same will happen with your clothes, shoes, jackets and various things that you have accumulated throughout your existence.

And you remember when a craftsman made you custom furniture for the kitchen, with the drawers you wanted, and the color that you and your partner chose together. You watch with fondness the old chair of your grandmother, the lamp that you bought on your honeymoon, your TV or any other type of domestic appliance, your wine collection, your books, the bed that you chose with your partner, the rooms of your children, and thousands of other things. It hurts. You know you should cut them out of your life forever.

Do not be afraid, try, it’s just an exercise.

My first emigration was happy, almost a liberation. I left to be a monk, I left a known world for an unknown future. I did not think much. My decision was made. This time I left my books with tranquility, since I also left my language and country to become a citizen of the world.

I left my house with only a suitcase and a backpack, although a few days later I had to abandon my suitcase with almost everything and could only keep the few things from the backpack. That was all I had in the world at that time. For the first time I felt free, independent!

My successive migrations were more difficult, but only because of the books that I had accumulated along the way.

Now with gray hair, when will my next migration be, and to where?

PS – * Here I am talking about things, objects, animals and places. Love and attachment for people can not be defined or cataloged as I have done in this writing.