Nice Things

 One thing I say often is that there will always be more Nice Things to buy. 

More often than not I'm either saying this to my girls, or to my mother, who sometimes has a hard time saying no to the Nice Thing. 

In the past I have been a lot more attached to stuff than I am now. I have always enjoyed Nice Things (I think most people do) and am a very visual and tactile person. I like to own the Nice Thing, and be able to handle it and admire it again and again. But as I get older it becomes clearer how owning the Nice Thing also means that you have to care for it. The more Things you have to care for, the less care (and time) there is to go around, and so the Nice Things become a drain on your resources. And over time as you become more tired of caring for the Nice Things, the nice things get dirty and shabby, and their magic is often lost. 

That's not to say I live in a white minimalist cube now, I don't. I still have a house full of Nice Things. Still too many in fact. But if I give away, or even lose or break a Nice Thing now, I see that it's just one of many, one of millions upon millions of Nice Things in the world and it means nothing really. Equally, seeing a Nice Thing in the wild and either not being able to, or choosing not to buy it, doesn't hurt me anymore.

That's all good. It does however make the quantity of Nice Things that are on the shelves in every shop rather overwhelming, when you view them not as the Nice Thing that will change your life, but just another drop in the ocean of Nice Things that one might buy this week, month, year, and discard the next. I hope this is a point that I can express to my children somehow, basically that's it all just tat. And it's okay to own a little of it, but you mustn't think it means anything. 

Another little thought it one I know I have mentioned in the past, which is that in recent years, really since the arrival of internet shopping in a big way, and nasty tat from sweat shops in China, the nature of Nice Things has changed in a way that I think particularly affects young people. In the past if you wanted to own something really special, you would probably either have to spend a lot of money, trawl antique or curio shops, or get crafty. There is simply so much available now that you can probably imagine absolutely anything in the world, any item that you could dream up, and discover that it exists, and it is available, and in all likelihood affordable for you. Let's do an experiment, what I can I think of that I might want?***

Dress with a snail on it - Exists

Tights with mushrooms - Exists

Earrings with moss inside - Exists

Large print of the birth of Venus - Exists

Autumn coloured floaty dress - Exists

Green brogues - Exists

Forest coloured area rug - Exists - Actually I found one that I really like, and really really want, but will not be buying

** This actually was quite difficult as can't really think of anything I want, so just tried to imagine some nice things. Also was going to post links as proof but really didn't want to feel like I was advertising everything. I simply googled each idea and looked under the shopping tab - there were many, many matching results for all, many of them on temu or shein, all had options under £50, many were under £20. I'm only grateful that none of this was an option when I was younger, I can only imagine how insane it drives girls in their teens and twenties trying to adorn themselves perfectly to reflect their newly forming identities.