Use Your Wisdom

My husband lived in our current home for 10 years before we got married. He was the original owner, so he was able to pick the features he wanted in the house as it was built. One choice he made was to select hardwood floors for a majority of the main living area. I’ll never forget the first time he invited me in his home. As he opened the door the first thing that jumped out at me was what appeared to be a significant rug collection. Rugs were everywhere. Red, gray, cream, striped and patterned rugs were strewn over a majority of the area. Few matched. Most were in various stages of wear. When I asked him why he had so many rugs he responded it was to protect the wood floor.

Though I understand wanting to protect something that is special, it is interesting how we sometimes take that protection to a level that prevents us from enjoying and experiencing what we have. It reminds me of the sofa my Grandma bought when she moved into her new home. It was a beautiful cream with wild flowers and birds decorating it in places. She absolutely loved it in the store. From the day she brought it home it was covered in an afghan of brown, orange and yellow yarn. I’ve seen some ugly afghans, but this one took first prize. True, the sofa’s fabric remained in pristine condition and was untouched by stains, but the afghan never came off the couch until my Grandma passed away. It was in perfect condition for the next owner to appreciate, but she didn’t allow herself to enjoy the possession that had brought her so much pleasure to purchase.

Back to the rugs, when my husband and I got married I moved into the house of rugs and gradually started removing one at a time. After a bit, my husband realized he was starting to like the way his home looked. It felt good to walk in the door and see the wood. It was nice not to have an eye sore of mismatched patterns greeting him. He was giving himself (the current owner) permission to enjoy the house without putting all of the weight on the future owner’s enjoyment. There are now a few scuffs that wouldn’t have been there had rugs remained, but they are of little consequence compared to the enjoyment we have both received from the hardwoods.

My challenge to myself and to others is to not be so rigid in enjoying things. We get one shot at this life and we might as well take our fill from time to time. I’m not saying to be irresponsible. Table some of the concerns over preserving something for its next owner though. Take that car out from under the tarp and go for a joy ride. Dab on that perfume you never wear because you want it to last forever. Spend some of your hard earned money on yourself instead of worrying about how much you hope to pass on to others when you are gone. Don’t limit yourself to a life of ugly rugs when you’ve earned and actually possess something that is special and brings you pleasure.

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This entry was posted on Wednesday, January 3rd, 2007 at 10:26 am and is filed under Choices. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed.