I AM IN A SEASON OF LIFE RIGHT NOW THAT COULD BE DESCRIBED AS praeparatio itineris.
IN CLASSICAL PHILOSOPHY, THIS IS THE PERIOD BEFORE A LONG JOURNEY. IT DOESN’T BEGIN WITH YOUR FIRST STEPS. IT BEGINS ONCE THE DECISION IS MADE, TRAVEL PLANS MATERIALIZE, AND ACCOMMODATIONS ARE BOOKED.
AND THERE ARE, CURENTLY, WHAT I WOULD DESCRIBE AS T’S TO CROSS AND I’S TO DOT. IT’S A GOOD TIME TO PLAN, PREPARE, AND DO ALL THE ABOVE, YES.
BUT IT’S ALSO A GREAT TIME TO PRUNE. IF SOMETHING IS GOING TO ROT WHILE YOU’RE GONE, IT’S BETTER TO PRESERVE IT, SELL IT, OR THROW IT AWAY.
I WILL BE GONE FOR THREE MONTHS. ANY LEAKS WILL LEAK. ANY PERISHABLES WILL PERISH. ANY DEAD WEIGHT WILL BE BEARED EVENTUALLY. IT’S BEST TO TAKE CARE OF IT NOW SO ONE WOULD NOT HAVE TO KEEP TABS ON THINGS THAT HAVE NO RELEVANCE TO WALKING FROM CALAIS TO ROME.
THIS IS NOT THE FIRST TIME THIS HAS HAPPENED: THE CHANGING OF SEASONS, PREVIOUS TRAVELS, OR EVEN RELOCATION HAS PROMPTED MY PRUNING OF THINGS.
AND AFTER MANY CYCLES OF THIS, FEW THINGS REMAIN.
FACE IT – MOST THINGS HAVE A SHELF LIFE ANYWAY. SHOES, CLOTHES, TECH, GEAR, HOME GOODS, WHATEVER. THINK ABOUT YOURSELF AT 15 – HOW MUCH OF WHAT YOU HAD THEN DO YOU HAVE NOW?
AND, RECENTLY, I HAVE FOUND AN ANSWER:
THE WATCH I GOT FOR CHRISTMAS IN 2010.
PRETTY SPECIAL. I LOVED IT THEN. I LOVE IT NOW. I WILL PROBABLY LOVE IT FOREVER.
NOW, I HAVE SOLD, GIVEN AWAY, AND THROWN OUT A LOT OF THINGS. AND CURRENTLY, MOST OF WHAT I CURRENTLY OWN CAN FIT IN TWO CONTAINERS. A LOT OF THEM ARE BOOKS, WHICH, I DON’T KNOW, I SHOULD PROBABLY GET RID OF SOMEHOW.
SO WHY DO I STILL HAVE THE WATCH?
TO SOME DEGREE, I CAN IMAGINE THAT IT HAS SOME FUNCTIONAL REASONINGS. IT’S SMALL. IT HAS A CLASSIC LOOK TO IT. I CAN GET USE OUT OF IT PRETTY EASILY. easy to “Carry,” in a sense.
TO ANOTHER DEGREE, IT PROBABLY REFLECTS ME IN A WAY THAT SUPERCEDES LOGIC.
LIKE, I WOULD NEVER SELL IT. NOT EVEN FOR A MILLION DOLLARS. OR GIVE IT AWAY, NO MATTER HOW HAPPY IT WOULD MAKE SOMEONE ELSE. OR THROW IT OUT, NO MATTER HOW BEAT UP IT EVER GOT. SO, BEAUTIFULLY, I THINK THIS CAN BE EXPLAINED AS IT REFLECTS ME TO SUCH A DEGREE THAT IT EXISTS ABOVE THE MENIAL BURDENS OF EVERYDAY LIFE.
Like, what earthly problem could arise that would prompt my parting ways with that watch? I cannot think of one.
so then the question may lie in, what is it about the watch that is simply, truly, beautifully, indispensable?
AND THE ANSWER MAY BE, IN MANY WAYS, IT IS BEYOND EARTHLY HAPPENINGS.
AND THEREFORE, LONGEVITY IS A GOOD MEASUREMENT OF THE GOOD, THE TRUE, THE BEAUTIFUL. IF IT’S STILL AROUND FOR YEARS, THROUGH ALL OF THE SEASONS THE EARTH HAS ENDURED, THERE IS PROBABLY SOMETHING ABOUT IT THAT GOES BEYOND EARTHLY, HUMANLY LOGIC.
AND NOW, TOO, THAT I HAVE RE-POSTED ALL OF MY OLD BLOG POSTS…PART OF IT FEELS LIKE, YOU KNOW, THEY SURVIVED. ALL OF THE REBRANDS, WEBSITE OVERHAULS, PHILOSOPHICAL CHANGES…THEY SOMEHOW STILL STAYED.
THAT DOESN’T MEAN NOTHING.