1. | Dec 6, 2013

:) Thank you, Waves (though I am SURE that must not really be your name!! :) for the kind initvation to post at your site! I had never really thought much about the mechanics (the driving force) behind our desire/need to collect...it is a very interesting topic to consider. Do you know, as soon as I began to think about the matter, I was reminded of your (lovely) Virginia Woolf quote...she needed the illumination of others' eyes---a reflection of how they saw her, perhaps, and who they thought she was; she collected, in a way, people, and their attentions, I think, to feel more complete; and yet because of this she was not sure, herself, of exactly who she was. And I think it might be a lot of this...I cannot imagine living in an empty, white room, with nothing to reflect who I am, and what is important to me--how would you truly know who you are, as a person? As you do, I too collect books--I was SOOO jealous of that lovely wall of books I saw, behind you in so many pictues! :). And I display them...some are books I have read many times, others books I may never get around to. But they reflect, in part, who I am, and what makes me happy in Life. The same is true for my kitties (yes, I collect stray kitties too!)...I have 5, in my little townhouse)...but they help to complete me, and they help to make my life---the space I inhabit in this world---happier, and richer, and more peaceful. And art, and our eclectic clothing and furnishings...all of these things that we see out in the world, and just KNOW...just inherently understand that they would be so wonderfully at home in our domiciles...the little safe-havens we have carved out for ourselves. I think, really, collecting for many of us is about surrounding ourselves with the things that we see as reflecting who we are, and the things we know will make us happier, just by surrounding us in the our worlds..without books around me, I would feel lost. :) I'm sorry, I'm rambling on much too long. Thank you for a very interesting post!! I hope you have a wonderful Monday, sincerely, Chris R.