Please don't give me presents anymore.

There are so many ways to start this post and so many different reasons for this decision.

Yesterday was my mother's birthday. I'm pretty sure she is 58 now. A few days ago my sister messaged me, and asked me what I was getting my mom for her birthday... @.@ I had completely forgotten! Now, forgetting a birthday that happens the day before a national holiday seems impossible... especially when it's your own mother's birthday... But, yeah, I forgot... If it weren't for my sister's prodding... Well... let's not think about that.

But what will I get my mom?

I don't like stuff... meaningless, cheap, mass produced, ubiquitous sweatshop stuff. Years ago I began to swear off shopping at Walmart or buying things with the made in China label and recently started to avoid plastic... But maintaining a myriad of self imposed restrictions, in an increasingly elaborate global economy is hard.

And it's even harder when I'm not the one making the decision to buy the stuff. 

My family and friends have always tried to comply with what ever my most concerning restrictions were... But even then... I have received many lovely gifts... that I just don't want. 

...

"You're giving that away? But I gave it to/made it for/found it JUST FOR YOU!"

I want to downsize, I want less stuff in my life. In order to do that I need to get rid of things. I've found that many of my things have strings attached. Attached to people, memories, places, achievements, failures, and even to other things that are long gone. If you can't tell, I'm a fairly sentimental person. :)

There are things I feel like I just can't get rid of... because I fear someone will ask, "Hey, where's that thing I gave you that time?"... And I will have to tell them I sold it, or gave it to Goodwill. Then I have to see them hurt, as the string that connected us, via that thing, is severed.

I don't want to do that any more. So, please don't give me any more gifts.

Last year I told my family that I didn't want things for Christmas. I got some great gift certificates (some I still need to redeem) but I also still got stuff. It's a hard change to make. I think if I stop giving things, then, perhaps I will stop receiving them as well.

...

As I look around my home... around my life... I see how very full it is. Full of wonderful things, people, happenings, thoughts, actions and memories. What more could I ask for? More importantly... what more could I ask for that I cannot procure on my own. My girlfriend and I are both employed and live within our means... we can buy anything we need, and pretty much anything we want. We are very fortunate.

But what I cannot buy is time.

No one can.

So, in closing... If you feel some strong urge to buy me a gift, please don't. But please do spend some time with me. This blog is new... so if you are reading it, you are probably quite dear to me... I would cherish even a short moment together :)

And if all else fails... you could always buy me cookies ;p