I’ve been thinking about what might happen to Hip Diggs if I were to die today. It would disappear from the Internet in a year or two when my hosting contract ran out. Hopefully, I’ll be around for awhile, but it’s good to remember that everything is temporary.
Photo by Dan Erickson
This is my house. We had it painted earlier this year. It looks nice. But the paint will get old and chip away. It will need to be painted again.
Everything is temporary.
This is a fact of life. Nothing lasts forever. As we get older this temporariness shows its face more and more. But it’s not a bad thing. Knowing that life has limits can help us to make wiser decisions.
If Everything Is Temporary, Why Accumulate Stuff?
Life has different seasons. We might need a few more belongings when we’re raising a family. But what’s the point in accumulating more and more stuff? It’s all temporary.
We’ve all seen it. Someone passes away and the family is left with a houseful of stuff that nobody really wants. I’m going to make a point to keep my estate simple as I get older. This way my family will have less to deal with when I go.
But there’s much more to learn from the fact the are days are numbered.
Sometimes It’s Okay To Live A Little
Minimalism can feel rigid. Sometimes I wonder if some of the minimalists I follow online really have any fun in life. Everything they say and do seems so serious. They scoff at buying one extra pair of shoes. But think about this:
When people reach the end of their lives they don’t say things like, “I wish I would have bought more stuff.” On the other hand, I don’t think anyone will say, “I wish I would have lived a stricter minimalist lifestyle.” And no one will ever say, “I wish I’d never bought that extra pair of shoes.”
There’s a happy medium. It’s ok to splurge once in awhile; to buy something you really want. In time, if you find it getting less use, you can always pass it on to someone else.
Remember to do some of the things you really want to do in life. Even if that means buying more than minimalism might prescribe. You only have so long to live. If you’ve learned the secrets of simple living, you’ll know when to buy and when to let things go.
Leave Your Legacy
Even our work is temporary. My writing, my books, my blog, my music: it’s all fleeting. But the more we create, the more we can leave behind for future generations.
Rather than collecting and consuming stuff, we can spend our time creating. We can teach others how to live more simply through our messages and our art. We can show others how to use their time more productively.
It’s nothing new. Just as everything is temporary, there’s really nothing new under the sun. By creating original works, we’re not doing some novel and grand act. But we will be passing on a little wisdom. And we will be passing on the spirit of simple creativity.
It’s Not About You… You’re Temporary
Leaving a legacy is not really about you. It’s about humanity. It’s a way to pass the torch to future generations. Whatever your passion, you can pass it on.
Hopefully, I’ll have another 30 years to continue to share my art and the message of simple living.
What about you? How are you going to live your life today to help pass on something important tomorrow?
