Essential Possessions

There was a poster on the subway this morning that said to list the possessions we consider most essential to our lives. It was an interesting question to pose, and I've been thinking about it off and on all day. I've come to the conclusion that most things I have are not essential, but there are some things I do find useful -- though I may not need that particular one. But there are some essentials that contribute to the kind of life I want to live. A few favourites I would hate to lose:

• my Book of Mormon with all of my notes and comments in it
• my wedding ring (second one. First one got stolen.)
• my glasses (blind without them)
• the good chef knife
• various crochet hooks and knitting needles
• my steam canner, dehydrator, and juicer for putting up garden produce
• mason jars (ditto)
• I have a good hoe and digger I prefer to use in the garden
• paper and pens
• probably my old journals and photos, though if I could digitalize them, that would do
• I'd hate to lose my guitar and banjo, even though I am rarely able to play them anymore
• the memory sticks containing my writing (which means I'd need a laptop)
• the socks my late friend Tracey knitted
• my homesteading books
• my jars of homegrown beans and seeds
• my recipes

And that's about it. That's what I would take if I were to move into a tiny house, for example, or if I had to pack a bag and head for the hills on short notice. I didn't include the dogs, because those are friends, not possessions. But basically that's what I value, and that's what I'd need to set up house. (Well, and little things like soap and toothbrushes, but you know what I mean.) The list still looks a bit long. The guitar and banjo are for sentimental reasons only, so they may have to go in a pinch.


I know my husband would grab his bagpipes and his family history research. Some important documents and a couple of favourite books. Maybe his pizza peel and rolling pin, and he loves his cast iron frying pan. And that's probably all he would take.


When it comes down to it, you need surprisingly little in life.