Irrational attachment to inanimate objects

[Broch]

Do any of you feel irrational sentimental attachment to any object? I thought I was relatively immune from such feelings - strong will power, a belief in the Buddhist 'Attachment to Things' philosophy (Ajahn Chah) - but I surprised myself today.

I was working in the wood on Thursday and, after clearing some debris and fallen branches, I set off for a walk along the Northern perimeter fence to check for wind damage (there's no vehicular access along this bit). When I got home I realised I didn't have my 'ugly stick' - my favourite walking stick for the last three years. It was too dark to go out and look for it so I went out yesterday. Retraced my steps, the whole route, where I'd walked, where I'd worked afterwards - everywhere. I returned home empty handed and feeling down. Things didn't improve later in the evening when the missus said 'I don't like to think of your stick out in the woods in this weather!' - what a weird thing to say, but it hit a nerve and I was feeling quite upset all evening - it almost (but not quite) felt like when one of my springer spaniels was lost. I have a few things that I'd be upset to lose but they're all replaceable - this stick isn't.

So, I've been out again today and, you'll all be relieved to know, I've found it

So, I was wondering, am I mad? or do any of you have similar feelings about inanimate objects?

 

[Chris]

Ohhhh yes! Favourite cutting board, favourite wooden spoon, favourite mug. There used to be a flight of really old cobble stone steps in Woolacombe (my favourite place) and I even had a favourite stone on those steps which I liked to stand on each time. Sadly they were removed years ago, I assume due to ‘health and safety’. But I still miss that stone on those steps.

 

[Wildgoose]

I genuinely hate losing things, often irrational little things that don’t matter in the greater scheme of things but they are mine and I want them.

Seems it’s been passed down to the children too, I’ve spent many a bedtime looking for a certain hot wheels car or toy.

 

[GNJC]

Interesting topic... I guess you mean things without sentimental value; yes, like you, sticks... I work with livestock and need a stick, but pretty much any one of about four or five feet in length would be fine. Nonetheless, I've walked around in circles for half an hour trying to find a preferred stick that I dropped in a hurry or fell out of a vehicle. Amusing, but daft...

 

[Robbi]

Yep, the wife.

 

[n00b]

Do any of you feel irrational sentimental attachment to any object? I thought I was relatively immune from such feelings - strong will power, a belief in the Buddhist 'Attachment to Things' philosophy (Ajahn Chah) - but I surprised myself today.

Definitely. Almost all my stuff is imbued with some character or other. I totally understand your concern for the ugly stick being out on its own!

Re buddhism, the attachment that caused upset you could see as more of an opening for you to follow towards a clearer understanding of reality, a loose end to follow. But I don't think the other part - attributing a spirit or whatever to inanimate objects - is un-Buddhist. Seems to me a recognition that your ugly stick is you, like everything else.

 

[John Fenna]

I was most upset when a "special" wooden spoon went missing - and most relieved when it was found.....

 

[Toddy]

My knife, my mug, my trowel, my scissors, my pruners.....I think basically it's my tools that I think of like that, the ones that fit me and my life kind of thing.

Can't say I like anyone else using them, which is just silly, but it's there.

M

 

[bearbait]

I regret getting rid of most of my Vinyl albums, 20 or so years ago, as I started to buy music CDs a little more. I didn't realise how many memories were attached to them there LPs.

 

[Ozmundo]

Do teenage offspring count as an inanimate?

 

[Broch]

I regret getting rid of most of my Vinyl albums, 20 or so years ago, as I started to buy music CDs a little more. I didn't realise how many memories were attached to them there LPs.

Oh, so do I, but worse than that, I gave them to my brother in the mid 80's and he still has them to taunt me with

 

[oldtimer]

I'm very attached to many things that have served me well over the years.

And we've been married 61 years.

 

[Pattree]

Not an easy one as my attachments are perfectly rational! Well that’s what I think.

As for searching for things - I’m far too absent minded for that. Everything that I use regularly is backed up, often multiple times. If I lose something I just curse it for absenting itself (rational? attached at all?) and pick up another one.
Specs, hairbrushes, pencils, notebooks, Opinel #12’s, tape measures, pens, four-way screwdrivers, ferro rods (I light my domestic fire with one) all duplicated from two to six items and spread all over the house. Should it ever happen that something isn’t immediately to hand and the back up isn’t immediately available I would probably go out and get two more!

Walking sticks - two NHS from long ago, a pair of walking poles, two extending aluminium walking sticks and my father in law’s old shooting stick. I don’t care which one I pick up.

Rereading that post, it looks a bit neurotic but it isn’t. I have stopped myself from feeling the anger at losing stuff and saved myself the time searching in all the places that I know it won’t be.

 

[ONE]

My early Leatherman Charge purchased for me by my late grandfather after he somehow managed to destroy my Wave, we don't know what he did with it, he didn't know what he did with it (alzheimer's) but almost every blade/tool was broken, must have been some sort of prying thing. Anyway... He funded a replacement in a "normal" moment. Universally known among the rest of my family and anyone who knows me well as my "gadget", I get uneasy if I don't know where it is. That isn't to say I EDC it, I don't, but I always know where it's located.

 

[gra_farmer]

I genuinely hate losing things, often irrational little things that don’t matter in the greater scheme of things but they are mine and I want them.

Completely agree here, it's that feeling of unjustness.

For me it's my engagement watch from my wife, and my wedding band. I fell over and damaged the watch glass near the edge, I was so upset



As for the wedding band, I have lost 28kg since getting married and I have to use one of those horrible plastic coils on it, to not lost it. Wife saids just get another, as it is a strange metal and not easy to resize....but will not be the same

 

[Toddy]

Completely agree here, it's that feeling of unjustness.

For me it's my engagement watch from my wife, and my wedding band. I fell over and damaged the watch glass near the edge, I was so upset

View attachment 83597

As for the wedding band, I have lost 28kg since getting married and I have to use one of those horrible plastic coils on it, to not lost it. Wife saids just get another, as it is a strange metal and not easy to resize....but will not be the same

Women use clip reducers to make a too large ring fit safely.

Search Results - cooksongold.com

ring clip, cookson gold

www.cooksongold.com

I have the gold ones on two of my rings and I don't notice them in wear.

 

[Tantalus]

For me it is Zippo lighters.
I gave up smoking years ago but my Zippos were constant companions and most of them have some memories attached.

 

[The Frightful]

Do any of you feel irrational sentimental attachment to any object? I thought I was relatively immune from such feelings - strong will power, a belief in the Buddhist 'Attachment to Things' philosophy (Ajahn Chah) - but I surprised myself today.

I was working in the wood on Thursday and, after clearing some debris and fallen branches, I set off for a walk along the Northern perimeter fence to check for wind damage (there's no vehicular access along this bit). When I got home I realised I didn't have my 'ugly stick' - my favourite walking stick for the last three years. It was too dark to go out and look for it so I went out yesterday. Retraced my steps, the whole route, where I'd walked, where I'd worked afterwards - everywhere. I returned home empty handed and feeling down. Things didn't improve later in the evening when the missus said 'I don't like to think of your stick out in the woods in this weather!' - what a weird thing to say, but it hit a nerve and I was feeling quite upset all evening - it almost (but not quite) felt like when one of my springer spaniels was lost. I have a few things that I'd be upset to lose but they're all replaceable - this stick isn't.

So, I've been out again today and, you'll all be relieved to know, I've found it

So, I was wondering, am I mad? or do any of you have similar feelings about inanimate objects?


View attachment 83588

If the woods were accessible by unknown others id have stayed out all night, very nice stick, hopefully it hasn't heard you call it ugly

 

[Broch]

If the woods were accessible by unknown others id have stayed out all night, very nice stick, hopefully it hasn't heard you call it ugly

It knows it's an expression of endearment

 

[demented dale]

Do any of you feel irrational sentimental attachment to any object? I thought I was relatively immune from such feelings - strong will power, a belief in the Buddhist 'Attachment to Things' philosophy (Ajahn Chah) - but I surprised myself today.

I was working in the wood on Thursday and, after clearing some debris and fallen branches, I set off for a walk along the Northern perimeter fence to check for wind damage (there's no vehicular access along this bit). When I got home I realised I didn't have my 'ugly stick' - my favourite walking stick for the last three years. It was too dark to go out and look for it so I went out yesterday. Retraced my steps, the whole route, where I'd walked, where I'd worked afterwards - everywhere. I returned home empty handed and feeling down. Things didn't improve later in the evening when the missus said 'I don't like to think of your stick out in the woods in this weather!' - what a weird thing to say, but it hit a nerve and I was feeling quite upset all evening - it almost (but not quite) felt like when one of my springer spaniels was lost. I have a few things that I'd be upset to lose but they're all replaceable - this stick isn't.

So, I've been out again today and, you'll all be relieved to know, I've found it

So, I was wondering, am I mad? or do any of you have similar feelings about inanimate objects?


View attachment 83588

i only get attached to useful items. maybe thats reliance. if something is of no use or has served its purpose then it has to go. That said ive got a ww2 sheepskin flying jacket that i never wear but i cant seem to let go off.