Attachments

We all form attachments to people and places, and that's completely understandable. But why do we form attachments to THINGS? From early childhood we become attached--to a blanket, a stuffed animal, a pacifier. We think we grow out of the need for security embodied in a "thing," but I don't think we really do. For instance, I have a favorite top I like to wear. It's gotten so ratty looking that even I realize I can't wear it out in public anymore, but am I ready to toss it out? NO! I'll wear it at home, sewing, cleaning, whatever. I've even thought about ways I could applique stuff on it to cover the worst areas! LOL! It's comfortable. It's familiar. I put it on and don't think about the clothes I'm wearing--it's just there. Not to hot, not to cold. Soft. Perfect!

It's not just a human trait either. I started thinking about this when I was looking at my little cat, Spike, and her "feather." When she was a kitten, my daughter bought this long plastic, bendable stick with a big purple plume feather on the end. Spike loved chasing after that stick! Yep, the stick--not the feather. She could care less about the feather end.

A couple years later, and there's no feather left. Well, there are a couple straggly strands of purple stuff taped to the end, but you can't really call it a feather. Some time back, I bought her one with a blue puffy feather on the end to match her eyes--same stick. She really just doesn't like that one nearly as much as the original feather. I think it must be like wearing an old, familiar top. She carries her feather around, scraping the stick against the hallway wall as she prowls up and down, looking for a human to play with her. Sometimes I'll be sewing and hear a "meow." I'll look down and there's Spike, looking up at me with her ratty feather sitting at her feet. And somehow, it's such a pathetic site, I'm compelled to play. Spike with her ratty feather and me in my tatty top! What a pair! But we're happy with the things we're attached to.