Tuesday, April 24, 2012

"U" is for Unnecessary....

perceptions + quotes + reality =
A to Z Challenge~


As a daughter I regularly wanted to display the love for my mom by purchasing her a gift. So on special occasions I inquire about the present she’d want or need.  Very seldom would she have a request or need rather most often she’d say she didn’t need a thing-that any offering was unnecessary.
Really? How could that be? In my juvenile mind I was unable to grasp that notion that a person could not ‘want’ for something particularly in the very materialist world in which we live.
Fast forward to today where understanding walks hand in hand with age. When a similar query is posed to me, most often my response matches that of my mom’s; ‘A gift is unnecessary’.
As my forties have bowled into my early 50’s the citation, ‘Live simply so others may simply live.” reverberates in my mind. How many pairs of pants or shoes is critical for one person? How many sweaters are obligatory when truly only one garment can be worn at any one time? How much clutter does a house hold?
I comprehend and appreciate the ‘unnecessary’… as most things are just that; NOT essential. Therefore, the response my mom would offer which was exasperating to hear was accurate as Mom’s typically are- She gets even wiser the older I become. Imagine that!
“Civilization is a limitless multiplication of unnecessary necessities”
By Mark Twain


32 comments:

Karen Baldwin said...

Oh, so true, so true. And ahem, your wisdom is showing. :)

Lisa @ Two Bears Farm said...

Wise words. I am asking for a hair cut for mother's day. It's been a year, and while it's a generally unnecessary expense, I think once a year might be deserved!

Old Kitty said...

My mum's the same! She can't stand fripperies - or what she thinks are fripperies when offered to her!

Take care
x

Kay said...

Nice post and have to agree about sweaters...

How you finding the a to z challenge, can’t quite believe almost at the end
Kay
@1_Lovelife
http://www.1lovelife.blogspot.co.uk/

From the Kitchen said...

i can relate to your post today as a lesson my mother taught.

best
bonnie

Unknown said...

Moms are special like that, they seem to know everything. My mother was the same, she always told me she didn't want anything for her birthday or a holiday, all she wanted was me there.

This post shows how wise you have become!

Chatty Crone said...

Your mother was smart and it follows you are too. I as a mother - would rather go to lunch with my daughter or get a phone call from my son wanting to talk to me. That is a real gift. Thanks for following me. sandie

Jeanie said...

It is interesting that as we get older the fewer "things" we need. Your mother was wise and you have done a good job of learning and sharing her wisdom.

Julie Flanders said...

Very true! I'm amazed how I feel this way now when the holidays come around. The joy now comes from being with loved ones instead of receiving material gifts. When I was a kid I wouldn't have understood that at all.

RHYTHM AND RHYME said...

This reminded me of only last week.
I have a birthday in a few weeks and my daughter asked me what I would like.I said "Nothing" I have everything I need, reasonable health the love of two of my three children.Four grandchildren I love dearly.The only thing I would love is my eldest son who haven't spoken to me in over a year to phone and say Hello Mum, material things don't interest me.
Loved your U post.

Yvonne.

Inger said...

Your mom's wisdom shines through. Simplicity is truly a necessity.

Anne Mackle said...

Yes I agree sometimes the most valuable gift you can give someone is simply,your time.

Laura S. said...

Hello, Tracy! My mom's a minimalist so I can relate to this! Doing something nice for her–such as making dinner or doing office work or cleaning the house–is a gift she'd much rather have over another thing.

Have a lovely week and happy A to Z!!

Out on the prairie said...

My closet overflows, but i still like a gift.

Arlee Bird said...

I am so with you on this post. I'm trying to get rid of things in this stage of my life rather than accumulate more. My stuff is mostly a burden to me.

Lee
Weird, weird, weird…
A Faraway View
An A to Z Co-host blog

Ginny Hartzler said...

Moms know everything when we are between two and five...then we think they don't know so much...then when we are teenagers, they don't know ANYTHING!!! They are old fashioned and stupid. When we are much older, we wish they were with us so we could ask their opinion. The circle of life...

Unknown said...

My Mom's the hardest person to buy for, and I always found it a bit annoying when she would say "don't worry about me I don't really need anything." Now I find myself saying the same thing to my kids.

Unknown said...

We DO live in a materialistic world, spot on. Ever since moving to Greece, I have learnt about family love and affection and that THESE are the things to hold dear, not possessions.

Great post.
Bex
www.leavingcairo.blogspot.com

Barbara Watson said...

True, most things are not essential. My favorite gift is the person's time.

Wanda said...

How true indeed.

As my daughers are now mothers too. We do things instead of give things...This year we are going to a luncheon and fashion show for our Mother Daughter Celebration.

Nezzy (Cow Patty Surprise) said...

Funny, the older we get the smarter our parents look! Heeehehehehe!

I tell my kids just to get a card. A card lets me know they didn't forget. Heck, I have all the 'stuff' I'll ever need anyway.

Have a blessed and beautiful day sweetie!!! :o)

Arkansas Patti said...

Yes Moms are and so are we. I tell my family and friends, if they are near I would love a sincere hug, otherwise a phone call is super.

Reena said...

So true. The older I get, I find myself living with less. Much more enjoyable!

Tina Fariss Barbour said...

There's a lot of wisdom in this post, Tracy! So much of what we have is unnecessary. Nice, yes, but not necessary. I'm finding myself thinking more and more when i start to buy something--do I need it now? If not now, then back it goes (usually).

My husband worries so much over what to give his mother for any occasion. He actually dreads Mother's Day for this reason. His mother is difficult to buy for--she doesn't have any hobbies and has all that she needs--so I usually suggest something pretty, like a plant or flowers, that she would never buy for herself.

jp@A Green Ridge said...

I wish I knew then what I learned over the years...things such as this!...:)JP

Jake and Terri said...

I agree a gift is unnecessary. I would rather go to dinner with someone or get a card with a heartfelt note inside. Great post!

M said...

Great post! I live pretty simply but grew up that way...1 bathing suit, one pair of jeans and I never had a jacket until I bought one in high school. We didn't have a lot...and I was often jealous of those who did. My rule for gits is- something you can eat, use once (like a movie pass) and nothing that I have to put on a shelf :)

Sherry Ellis said...

So true! Now that I'm in my forties, I see how unnecessary so many things are. Your mother should be proud of you. You're following in her footsteps!

Connie said...

Great post, Tracy. The older I get the more I agree with this. Anymore the simpler things are the better as far as I'm concerned.

Amanda Trought said...

I too find this the older I get and find it funny to hear my son talk about all the things he needs or life won't continue...Amanda

Amanda - Realityarts-Creativity
Art Blog

Betsy Banks Adams said...

Yes, we can show love and appreciation to others without gifts... Gifts truly are unnecessary... BUT--the love and caring and appreciation IS necessary.
Hugs,
Betsy

Beth Zimmerman said...

VERY wise!