Rudya Aditya

Sentimental Value

·

Rudya Avatar
Rudya

What’s one thing you own that holds deep sentimental value?

View all responses

I’ve decided to start posting some response to the daily prompts but this very first question has left me stumped. I can’t for the life of me think of anything that I own that holds deep sentimental value for me.

I mean, don’t get me wrong, there are things I own that I like a lot. Like my electric guitar or my leather jacket. But I bought both of those myself so they aren’t attached to someone in my life. Is that sentimental value?

When I was young, I got into Buddhism and renunciation of desires. Since then I’ve never really allowed myself to get too attached to possessions. But I’ve also realized that there is nothing wrong with liking or even loving something you own. Renunciate attachment, not love.

Use the things you love. Don’t just store it away in a cupboard for some future time because then you’ll get busy and never take it out. When you take care of something and pay attention to it, you fill it with love. If you lock it away, you’re not paying attention to it. That is not real love. That is just possession. You’re in love with the idea of possessing that thing, not that thing in itself.

I think sentimental value means you like or love an object for what it represents, not what it is in itself. Maybe it was a gift from someone you loved or a family heirloom. Sadly, I don’t really have anything like this which I own.

Cover Photo by Kseniya Lapteva on Unsplash

Other Posts

Comments

5 responses to “Sentimental Value”

  1. Nereida Garcia Avatar
    Nereida Garcia

    Nothing?

    Like

    Reply
    1. Rudya Avatar
      Rudya

      Nope. I gave away most of my childhood toys. I don’t really have too many possessions.

      Like

      Reply
  2. mylittlehawk Avatar
    mylittlehawk

    It is sentimental value if it reminds you of a part of your life. You don’t even have to own it anymore, but if your mind goes to it with fond memories and love, that is sentimental value. I don’t own much either, but what I do own is incredibly sentimental to me, so it’s not about possessing, but loving.

    Like

    Reply
    1. Rudya Avatar
      Rudya

      I hear you. But when I think about my guitar, for example, I feel “Oh man it’s such a gorgeous guitar. I love it.” But it doesn’t remind me of any time in my life. But maybe that’s a bad example because I haven’t played this guitar a lot. But I can’t think of anything I own that makes me nostalgic either. Music triggers nostalgia for me. I hear Umbrella by Rhianna and I’m transported to Antwerp in 2008 when I joined my first ship. But it doesn’t happen with any object. We’re all different I guess. Thanks for reading and commenting!

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply
      1. mylittlehawk Avatar
        mylittlehawk

        Oh, I get it. And yes, music is nostalgic, and can truly transport one to different times, and bring back emotions that it first evoke years ago. I feel like music is universal in that aspect. Like, it doesn’t have to be the same song, but just in general, music is sentimental, sort of. Even now when you mentioned this song, it brought back my memories to me. Whereas for objects it’s less prone to happen. But, as you said, we’re also all different. Of course!

        Like

Leave a Reply