Going Home With Nothing

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Leaving It All

Two and a half years ago, my grandfather died and my grandmother’s health began deteriorating. She put their beautiful, spacious 4 bedroom home up for sale. She put some belongings in my dad’s pick-up truck and walked away, leaving a house full of furniture, decorations and ‘stuff’ behind to be donated or given away.

Six months ago, Grandma’s health was as such that she moved into a nursing home. This time she only packed a bag. A few short weeks later, she packed absolutely nothing before she went on Home to be with the Lord. When she walked through heavens gates, she joyfully took with her nothing at all.

My grandmother-in-law lives with us in a large granny flat. She’s lived with us for six years now but the time has come for her to move into assisted living. She moves in January. As I stood in her apartment the other day, I looked around and saw a lifetime of possessions collected from her decades of worldwide travels. She is going to have a tough time as she decides which things are important enough to move with her.

A Freeing Truth

Without a granny, we don’t need a granny flat. We’ll be moving as well; the “for sale” sign is up. As I prepare to move, I’ve been thinking a lot about how in the end I, too, will be going to my eternal home with nothing. To some, that may sound sad, bleak or depressing. But if taken to heart and put into action, it can be an incredibly freeing truth. I’m going home with nothing.

Down here, I need what I need to get through life. You know, the basics like shelter, food, clothing. I also have a lot of things to make life nicer. I enjoy my computer and love to read a good book, snuggled in a comfy chair. But unless my possessions are useful in some way right now or in the near future (whether practical or joy-bringing), I may as well get rid of them because I can’t take them to my final destination anyway so why hang on to it?

So tomorrow, I’ll share with you the beginning of my journey to travelling light{er}.