Saying I’m going to give away something is only a partial segment of the process of this project. The actual giving away to someone is another part. The latter adds intentionality and presence to my practice, I have found, because I have to be deliberate about to whom I giving the object of the day, and how I’m going to get it to them.
I have been giving these objects to people around the country and world, so I make regular trips to the post office. I also have been making time to drop off items to people who are in the area. Some items are compact enough to fit into envelopes, some are heavy and large and require a great deal of coordinating. This entire portion of the practice encourages me not to grow lackadaisical with my releases. I have to remain consistently diligent to execute any given release for the day. Followthrough has become critical, and in a way it keeps me accountable.
Today I’ve found another hat (see Days 318 and 323). This one I purchased because it was one of the coldest days of the year and I was already out without a hat. New York facilitates conspicuous consumption. There are vendors everywhere selling everything you could possibly want or need at that very moment. They are timely and successfully opportunistic. In the winter they sell scarves, hats and gloves. In the summer, they sell sunglasses, jewelry, and accessories.
The day I acquired this hat, even the hair that was well below my shoulders could not insulate my head. It was brick cold and I remember trying to resist the delicatessen of vendors but submitting as soon as I could no longer feel my ears. Yet instead of buying a warm knitted hat, which would have been the logical choice considering the circumstances, I purchased a hat that I felt I would wear even after that day. How wrong I was. The decision making process is not always airtight. I have not worn this hat since that day, partially because my hair is short now and therefore the hat falls over my eyes. My hair mass must have been immense. I have kept it until now in the hopes that I would justify my purchase that day, but I haven’t.
So on Day 333 of my 365 Release practice for non-attachment, letting go and change. I’m using this giveaway with intention to make time to hang out with its recipient, who I haven’t seen in a long time and am due a catch up. Therein lies the purpose of this hat. I love the wonderful opportunities this project has given me.
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[I created the 365 Release Project to practice non-attachment, letting go and change by giving away 1 thing a day for 1 year. The background, vision and guidelines to the 365 RELEASE project are here. The running list of everything I have released is here.]
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