on being without

My mobile phone packed up yesterday. Although I went to bed feeling lighter due to the lack of texts, calls, emails and requests from Google to use my location, I awoke horrified at the idea of being un-contactable. I’m self-employed for crying out loud. Resolving that I do not want to be without a phone, I set off at 9am to resolve this problem. To cut a long story short I returned at 2pm (yes, 2!) with a working phone and a lot less money.

I talked to a dear friend later who had recently met someone whose house had burned down. Not only had this person lost her home and everything in it, but also the whole back catalogue of her work as an artist. Interestingly my friend commented on the freedom this woman is now experiencing. She talked about an amazing ‘newborn-ness’.

Losing a mobile phone cannot be compared to losing a home and its content. Working as I do, I am constantly fascinated by the resonance of different objects. It’s not unusual to witness a client burst into tears at the sight, smell or feel of an object, piece of clothing or a photograph. My friend and I talked about those attachments today. Our conclusion? Whatever feeling we have it’s permitted. What’s important is to have an awareness of our attachments and an openness to the possibilities that letting go of some things could allow us.