Unless we choose to let them do so, that is, and many people do so.  Possessions seem to be seductive by their very nature--having something empowers us, and power is one of the most seductive forces known to humankind.  We often feel that owning a certain item can make us more desirable to others as a person, as a friend, as a significant other.  Having a certain car can show others that we have good taste, that we have a lot of money, that we're a certain type of person (practical, rebellious, strong--whatever).  Owning a certain set of books can show that we're cultured, intelligent, broad-minded, appreciative of good humor--again, whatever.

Almost all of us get satisfaction from our possessions, and we use our possessions to establish common points of interest.  

If we see someone who has the same type of anything that we have--cd, car, shoes, or even a calculator--we have an immediate point in common, a place where we can start a conversation about the object.  "Oh, you have that, too?  I love mine--what do you think about yours?"  They're very convenient that way, and they serve a vital social role for many people who haven't yet learned to start such interactions on a different level.

Possessions should reflect who we are.  We usually choose our possessions carefully based on the image we wish to project.  This shows up most obviously in our clothing, but it certainly extends past our clothes.  Problems arise when we allow our possessions to do our talking for us, and they no longer reflect who we are--we become the kind of person who we think owns that type of possession.  I own the car I own because of the type of person I am--I was looking something practical, affordable, and economical, and the car I own shows those traits.  I wasn't looking for anything to send a message to anyone, but I was looking for something that was proven to be safe, that got good gas mileage, and that wouldn't take too much money out of my checking account each month.  In those ways, it's a reflection of who I am.

On the other hand, I have a friend who bought a car based on the image he wanted to project.  He wanted people to think he was powerful (he's not), that he had good taste (his taste tends to run with whatever's popular at the moment), and that he had money to burn (he didn't).  So he bought a car that he couldn't really afford, and he struggles now to make payments and to keep the gas tank full.

What's worse, though, is that he changes when he's around his car.  He's a bit more arrogant, and he's always looking around to see who's noticing his car.  Few people notice, which gets him very frustrated--in this way, this "great car" has hurt him and his image of himself.  His expectations of what life would be like with a cool new car never were met, and he feels bad because of it.

That's one way that possessions can be an obstacle to a full life--they can disappoint us when we expect much out of them.  We may expect the fact of ownership to be fulfilling or to make our lives better, but it won't.  And that leads to disappointment, disillusionment, disenchantment--hurt.

Another way that possessions can hurt us is when they start piling up, never being used any more.  When we constantly need new things, we're looking for something outside of ourselves to provide us with satisfaction.  There are many people who live to buy--they always want to find the newest gadgets, games, or fashions, and the older ones pile up in the house.  This is most disastrous when you need to move, but even if a move isn't in your future, keeping all of the things around can be a very unpleasant reminder of the failed attempts to find gratification through an object, through a possession.

For me, music has been a major obstacle in my efforts to simplify my life.  My music collection was vast, and I hadn't listened to much of it in years.  I could go searching and find cd's that I hadn't even seen in years, much less heard.  They took a lot of time and effort to manage and to maintain, and I didn't even listen to most of them.  It wasn't until I started to get rid of them that I started to feel a weight lifting off my shoulders--letting go of the music was one of the best things I could do for myself.  And I find that I don't miss the music that I've gotten rid of--there's plenty of new stuff coming out that I can hear (but not buy) to keep me interested.

I do have other possessions that I haven't used for a long time, and they also just kind of hang around--they've also been marked to go.  And getting rid of them doesn't hurt like I thought it would.  In fact, it's a very good feeling to get rid of the old stuff.

It's time to beware of possessions when they start to control you--either when they make you act as you normally wouldn't act, or when they make you keep them around long after their usefulness has worn out.  Our lives are our lives, and it's important that we develop who we are, not what we have.  Possessions are a very positive part of life--there are many things that I have that I love to have--but if we ever let them control us, then they've become an obstacle to our happiness.

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anonymous

It is the preoccupation with possession, more than anything else, that prevents people from living freely and nobly.

Bertrand Russell

Character:  The Grandest Thing in the World      Orison Swett Marden
On Giving      Kent Nerburn
On Giving      Khalil Gibran
Start over Again, and Do It Right      Elaine St James
Do I Really Need This?  Wants vs. Needs      Jane Mullikin
Top Ten Ways to Simplify Your Life      Louise Morganti Kaelin

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