You shall not covet your neighbor’s house; you shall not covet your neighbor’s wife,
or male or female slave, or ox, or donkey, or anything that belongs to your neighbor.
Exodus 20:17
Fast: from buying what you don’t need
If you have ever moved to a new home, you know that it can be an opportunity to reset. But a new place comes with old problems: where to put the large dining room table? Where will all the books go? Which wall is right for the art your friend gave you years ago? Our belongings often follow us from place to place. In time, even a large house can become filled with objects from our past. Meanwhile, we look sideways at our neighbors’ possessions and wonder if life wouldn’t be a little easier, a little better, if we had what they have. To what degree do you feel controlled by your items, your space, or your sense that despite it all, you still don’t have enough?
Pause for a moment and notice how your body feels as you read this.
Today, fast from the act of accruing: don’t buy anything non-essential. Rely on what you have: the food in the pantry or freezer you forgot about, the sweater that will work just fine for that work event, the books on your shelves you’ve been meaning to read or reread. What is different when you direct your attention to what you already have instead of what you lack?