Memories of Material Possessions - All My Life for Sale by Freyer - Book Report/Review Example

Memories of material possessions Material possessions have a way of crowding a home with things that often turn into memories for family members. People get emotionally attached to the objects and connote it memories that makes them indispensable. I have a small place where I live with my sister. The place is clattered with lots of items, some having their utility value and others full of sentimental memories. So when I first read John Freyer’s book, ‘All my Life for Sale’, I could not imagine that anyone would actually become so detached with his things and objects that make up a home and sell. But then I thought that the material objects are just that, things that are made up of material which would get destroyed one day. Indeed, the importance of objects lies in the memories that they carry. My home looks a well lived in place and feels like home because many of things come from home country, Hong Kong and remind me of my family. Several of my possessions are years old and have become intrinsic part of my life here. Unlike Freyer, I am more practical and I tend to throw away faulty and broken stuff. I believe that it is better to replace the broken item rather than waste time and money on them on a regular basis. So my home has lots of knick-knack items like Laughing Buddha, Chinese dragon, wooden carved pencil stand, mechanical pencil box of my childhood, wall hanging etc. which give it a welcoming ambience. Essential home items like bed, chairs, comfy loungers etc. abound the room. Reading the book has now brought in new sense of detachment and de-cluttering my home looks appealing. Cataloguing items would be easier as my sister is with me and we could do that on holidays. My sister was equally enthusiastic to the idea because she has been longing to buy new items but the already overcrowded house does not allow it. Listing items for sale was fraught with lots of oohs and aahs as we went through the history of the item and how it had come here. While the clothes and most of the kitchen and furniture items did not evoke much emotional response, the personal things that I had brought with me from Hong Kong were full of nostalgic memories. The white baby blanket lying on my pillow gave me goose bumps just by the thought of parting with it! Then there was grandfather’s pipe and the Japanese military yen that he had collected during the Japanese occupation of Hong Kong. Letting go of the items that are dear to you is hugely distressing. The baby blanket was the first gift that my parents had given me when I was 3! It reminds me of my safe and carefree childhood. I could still feel the warm feeling of security that it had enveloped me with when the icy winds of the winter were choking the life of others. The safety cocoon of the white blanket still gives the same feeling when I am feeling low or missing my parents. I do not think that I can really give it up! It is one of thing that I would like to pass on to my children. But maybe, I would give it to some needy child who would experience the same warm feeling of security and safety from the hardships of life. Yes, I have outgrown its need and it should have new owners who would appreciate it before the blanket loses its utility value. My father’s watch is one of the most cherished material possessions. It was the first watch bought from his first salary as a labor working at the docks. It was a labor of love which had symbolic value for me. It reminds me of my humble origin and constantly seems to tell that hard work always pays. I love the watch and wear it despite the fact that it is mechanical and needs daily winding to keep ticking. It is my inspiration that drives me forward and has made me more positive in my life. Most importantly, wearing the watch is like having a guardian angel and guides me through rough patches of my life. The grandfather’s tobacco pipes signify long family roots and therefore are indispensable! The military yen passed on to my grandmother from my grandfather is yet another item that I would be keeping. It not only represents the history of my country but tells a living tale of war hardships that my grandfather along with hundreds of others must have gone through under foreign invasion. These things help me understand and know my grandfather who had passed away before I was born. These items reaffirm strong familial bond which I cherish. I think that grandfather’s possessions are priceless which should be passed on to the next generation. I have therefore, taken these three items off the catalogue list. Though I love Freyer’s sentimental journey to his sold items, I differ from him in the sense that I would like to forget about the items which have gained new owners. The roughly hundred and fifty items of my catalogue would be sold as soon as I get a new job and shift to larger place. I strongly believe that items sold have lost the sentimental value and therefore I should let the new owners create their own memories with them. I know that my white baby blanket would be as precious to the new owner as it was to me. I would feel happy that it gives the same solace to him/her that it had given me. I know that even when it is not with me, its memories would still warm me and remind me of my parents’ love and security. The mechanical pencil box, given to me by my mother signified reward for academic achievement. It was the gift that had motivated me to work harder and strive for higher academic success. It still inspires me and I believe that it would also enthrall my children. It has clicks that open different sections of the box and as a coveted possession, it had a place of pride amongst all my worldly goods. This is one item which had changed my relationship with my mother as it had made me realize that mothers scold for some reasons which are for our good only. I had wanted the mechanical box as all my friends had one and so it was great motivation when it was given as a reward. The box represents her awareness of my desire and wishes which had made me very happy. It can serve as an inspiration for my children because they would know that academic achievements and good deeds would help them get their coveted gifts. Freyer’s book has indeed, given me a new perspective to look at things and material possession. I have realized that while material things are important, they lose their relevance over time. What we should collect is their good memories and let others enjoy them while they have their utility value. Freyer is absolutely correct in his surmise that it is more important to be empowered with the knowledge of one’s strength and to have roots. Freedom to move from place to place loses its charm over times especially when one is married and would like to settle down. De-clutter but remember that home is littered with memories of odd items and it would be foolish to part with every item to satisfy some temporary whim or demand. (words: 1264) Works Cited Freyer, John. All my Life for Sale. NY: Bloomsbury Publishing, 2002. Print Read More