photos by Elaine A. RussellMy dad likes to recall a time when I was an early teenager. We were taking care of my grandparents, and living in a bad situation at that time. Apparently, in desperation, I made the comment that I had heredity and environment going against me... and that I was doomed.
Several years later, while in nursing school, I had the opportunity to study psychiatric issues, and I loved it... likening various disorders with members of my family etc that exhibited similar quirks.
My family is riddled with various mental problems, disorders and tendencies. No family is immune... we just have more than the average share I think. Fortunately, it has become a laughable matter, and not one of shame.
I mention this because it has occurred to me, that we really are a family of hoarders ( among other things ). This has really hit home on several occasions, and this visit was no exception.
Each of us tends to focus on a different thing.. my mother saves memorabilia (newspaper clippings, etc) and mice figurines, my brother saves every scrap of paper he's ever seen I think.. as well as stuff he finds on the road. My sister.. fabric, wrapping paper, toys...even egg cartons and dryer lint. My dad... books. He has over 8,000 books in the basement, and even more in the living areas of the house.
Now.. he has catalogued them, alphabetized them, and grouped them by genre. But..and obsessive collection it is, none the less.
It got me thinking about what I hold on to. I have collected a few things over the years... Disney snowglobes at one point, Thumper figurines, pink depression glass... but I never had collections to the extent as some. The past couple of years I have made a concerted effort to cut down and down-size most all of my belongings. I have managed to get rid of alot of things. Now the only things I really collect are sterling silver charms. I still have my Disney Thumper collection.... but it is only 6 figurines. And I still have some depression glass... but thanks in part to the tragic cupboard accident of 97, not as much.
Now, I am not saying that having a collection is a bad thing. I think that everyone has something that they collect and are passionate about. What is a problem to me though.. is when that collection becomes an obsession... or it becomes a hindrance to your daily ability to live.
I happen to know people that collect things to the point of only having a very narrow pathway thru their house.
I guess my point is that heredity and environment can play a significant role in your tendencies in life. Yes, I have the compulsion to collect things.. and to sort things. But, I also have free will to decide that that is not something I want to take control over my life.
Several years later, while in nursing school, I had the opportunity to study psychiatric issues, and I loved it... likening various disorders with members of my family etc that exhibited similar quirks.
My family is riddled with various mental problems, disorders and tendencies. No family is immune... we just have more than the average share I think. Fortunately, it has become a laughable matter, and not one of shame.
I mention this because it has occurred to me, that we really are a family of hoarders ( among other things ). This has really hit home on several occasions, and this visit was no exception.
Each of us tends to focus on a different thing.. my mother saves memorabilia (newspaper clippings, etc) and mice figurines, my brother saves every scrap of paper he's ever seen I think.. as well as stuff he finds on the road. My sister.. fabric, wrapping paper, toys...even egg cartons and dryer lint. My dad... books. He has over 8,000 books in the basement, and even more in the living areas of the house.
Now.. he has catalogued them, alphabetized them, and grouped them by genre. But..and obsessive collection it is, none the less.
It got me thinking about what I hold on to. I have collected a few things over the years... Disney snowglobes at one point, Thumper figurines, pink depression glass... but I never had collections to the extent as some. The past couple of years I have made a concerted effort to cut down and down-size most all of my belongings. I have managed to get rid of alot of things. Now the only things I really collect are sterling silver charms. I still have my Disney Thumper collection.... but it is only 6 figurines. And I still have some depression glass... but thanks in part to the tragic cupboard accident of 97, not as much.
Now, I am not saying that having a collection is a bad thing. I think that everyone has something that they collect and are passionate about. What is a problem to me though.. is when that collection becomes an obsession... or it becomes a hindrance to your daily ability to live.
I happen to know people that collect things to the point of only having a very narrow pathway thru their house.
I guess my point is that heredity and environment can play a significant role in your tendencies in life. Yes, I have the compulsion to collect things.. and to sort things. But, I also have free will to decide that that is not something I want to take control over my life.