Want-Itis

Oh man, it is Christmas time already and do I want stuff again. Let me tell you, I want stuff. It's like manufacturers from around the globe somehow got inside my brain and then made crap that I specifically would be attracted to. This time of year, I feel like I want everything I see- and I have to remind myself that material stuff is not going to make me happier, thinner, a faster runner, or a better person. But it sure feels like it. Every year at this time I fall into the vortex of stuff and I can't wait for this year's bout of "Want-Itis" to pass.

This year more than ever before, my husband and I have encountered financial stress that we simply could not have planned for. The car broke down. The car broke down again. The eaves had to be cleaned. The back door had to be replaced. These unexpected costs ate up our savings, and left us feeling a bit empty-handed when it came down to buying gifts for our friends and family. Hell, we can't even afford the ingredients it would take to make gifts for everyone! We know many families are struggling this year along with us, and we are reminded yet again that this holiday is not about stuff.

Why is it so hard to resist the stuff, though? I dread going to the grocery store, where even the mundane task of buying toilet tissue has me double-taking the glittery Kleenex boxes and thinking, "Ooh, that would look so nice on the back of the toilet!" It is a challenge for me to check out of this commercialism each year and recognize that I lead a relatively charmed life. We all do, really. Just look around you- when I'm feeling bummed out about not having the funds for an IPhone, a pair of new boots, or a Kindle, I go to my basement and peek in the freezer, which is stuffed to the top with fruit, veggies, and meat from local farmers and families. I gaze into this buffet of amazing organic produce and pork chops and think abouthow awesome it is that I have a basement that has a freezer in it, and hey, I'm eating good, to top it off! It makes me feel a little like a jerk for ever thinking for a second that what I already have is not enough.