extravagant

I haven't written for a while. I needed to think. I did not know what I wanted to say.

One day I watching PBS and a story came on about Buddhism. The story went on to say that Buddha sat under a tree and deprived himself of all life and it's comforts. He consumed just a grain of rice here or there. He eliminated all extravagance and went further to deny himself even necessities.

I started thinking about that. What is the line of extravagance and what is the lure of it? What also is the price one pays for it...or is there a price? It sort of fits right in to this year long challenge; it essentially is about eliminating things I do not need so that hopefully I will see what I already have.

This challenge is too easy; it does not affect me. I decided I needed to go further. I realized that there is comfort in extravagance and I take part in that. I kept thinking about these beautiful chestnut leather boots I had tried on in Vancouver. I could have bought them and they looked fantastic. Beyond making me feel good; I knew also I would get compliments from them; people would want them. In that moment I realized that buying them would perpetuate the wanting of things for the people around me. The cost of buying extravagant things is that it pulls others into wanting more; into being less satisfied with what they have.

Extravagance.

Do we need it?

I am altering this challenge; not only will I not buy any clothing item for a year, I will also not buy any unnecessary item for myself at all. This includes shoes, jewelry, belts, etc. In buying for my family or my home I will weigh the buying of things much more carefully. I will ask myself, is this too extravagant? Will this incite others to want? It's a tricky challenge and a complicated idea because what is and is not extravagant can be relative to the individual who asks it, but deep down we all know the truth and the truth shall set you free.