Yesterday I helped a friend move most of her worldly possessions into storage for the summer. Perhaps it was the company, but I actually enjoyed the experience. This has not been the case when I've had to pack up and move my own stuff.
Why is moving such a different experience when it is other people's stuff? I guess it's partly because I wasn't there for the entire experience of dismantling ever single knick knack in the house and sealing them away. But it was more than that. Yesterday when I was lifting heavy boxes and televisions up long flights of stairs, I was helping a friend, something I could feel good about. When I move my own stuff, I have to say goodbye to my former lifestyle and pack the things I love in boxes where I can't use them. There's nothing worse than physical labor with the aim of sealing up your prized possessions so they can't be enjoyed.
But now I know that moving can be fun. I think next time I move, I'll try to approach it from an outside perspective. I think focusing on the end destination instead of the journey may be best in this instance. While helping my friend I was excited to imagine the new places and possibilities in her future, and it was fun to be a part of that process.
Why is moving such a different experience when it is other people's stuff? I guess it's partly because I wasn't there for the entire experience of dismantling ever single knick knack in the house and sealing them away. But it was more than that. Yesterday when I was lifting heavy boxes and televisions up long flights of stairs, I was helping a friend, something I could feel good about. When I move my own stuff, I have to say goodbye to my former lifestyle and pack the things I love in boxes where I can't use them. There's nothing worse than physical labor with the aim of sealing up your prized possessions so they can't be enjoyed.
But now I know that moving can be fun. I think next time I move, I'll try to approach it from an outside perspective. I think focusing on the end destination instead of the journey may be best in this instance. While helping my friend I was excited to imagine the new places and possibilities in her future, and it was fun to be a part of that process.
I think you've hit the nail on the head: when you help someone else move you get to vicariously enjoy the excitement and potential that moving involves, without having to experience any of the accompanying worry and uncertainty.
ReplyDelete