Thieves of Time

Here's a quote I read today:

Things are thieves of time.        

It's a quote by Nathan Gardels. 

What do you this mean to you? How can things be thieves?  How can things steal?  How can things steal time?!  

We have so much more stuff than people in the past. My grandfather had only 2 suits. He wore one for several days and then the other.  That was it.  My father has more than that.  My brother has even more!  

Why do we have so much more stuff today? How has it changed our lives? I've been thinking about this for some time now. Why?  

Because I recently moved to a new home, and I'm still unpacking my things!  Still trying to find my things. Still arranging things.  And I don't even have that many things! So this has got me thinking about things.  

We spend so much time saving up to buy things, shopping for things, storing things, and fixing our things.  And we have to spend time cleaning our things, dusting our things, and moving our things.  We also spend a lot of time worrying about our things. It's almost as though our stuff has taken over our lives. 

How do we get out of this problem?  

I'm reminded of a very famous quote by William Morrison:  

Have nothing in your house that you do not know to be useful,or believe to be beautiful. 

This quote has helped me get rid of many of my things.  

I hope I remember these two sayings while I continue to unpack! After all, I want to enjoy my things, not feel like a prisoner of my possessions. 

Here's to having fewer things and enjoying what we have!

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Thieves of Time - Language Lesson 

I want to enjoy my things, not feel like a prisoner of my possessions. 

In this sentence, you say what you want, then follow it with what you don't want.
I want _____, not _____.

For example: I want the salt, not the pepper.Practice making sentences like these with the words below.

1. (chicken, beef)
2. (white paper, pink paper)
3. (the red pen, the blue pen)
4. (to go to Morocco, Mali)
5. (to go skiing, sit at home all day)

[Language Level - High Beginner]