Bob’s Not Very Good Day, When Organization Brings Chaos
How we keep things is a telling feature of social norms, nature and human psychology. Keeping things is an essential part of the living experience. Food has been stored in a million different ways throughout the ages. Perishables have been stored in pits lined with sage, clay and rock, and have been kept in bark and skins. Provisions have been kept in the ground, trees, caves and little sheds. Clothes have been kept in chests, closets, boxes and shelves. manuscripts and hardback books are kept on shelves, on coffee tables and now online. People use mini storage buildings withroll up doors, spare rooms, attics and garages for storage. The reasons we store things is often a combination of common sense and twisted psychology.
Bob was a classic case of storage drama. Bob enjoyed to go on adventures. Bob had a free spirit, an unbridled optimism and a new car. One of the best features of this car for Bob was the back cargo doors that opened up to reveal a well designed space for storage. Bob needed an organized space because it made him feel like there was order in the world. He loaded his car with his belongings and drove to the mountains for a camping trip. Bob loved cooking good meals in the outdoors. He stored food suppliesin his car which will last for a week. He had his non-perishables carefully stored in water tight interlocking containers neatly stacked in the shelf like indentation over the rear tire. He put his perishables in a built-in cooler|cooler built into the car}. He put all of his gear in cargo nets and neat containers located in the back of his vehicle. Every Item had its spot and Bob was very happy.
As a little boy Bob had to deal with the volatile nature of his father, a man that took a liking to the bottle and worked hard to kill his own inner demons. His father would come home and either lift Bob up into a hug, or he would swat and scream sending the young boy to his room. Sometimes without warning a playful wrestling game turned into a swift slap to the face. Bob did not want to be near his father. His father would call for him to play and Bob would approach timidly, fearfully, getting more indignation from his old man. After a violent episode, one where his dad seemed to be playing, but would grip him too tightly, twisted his arm too hard or said too many mean things, Bob would go to his room and play with his blocks, setting them up carefully and putting the all in order.
As an adult, free of the struggles of childhood, Bob drove into a beautiful mountain campsite with all his well organized gear. He set up camp and cooked a tastey meal. The ranger had mentioned the bear boxes, storage containers to keep food out of the paws of the black bears that liked to wander the campground. Bob would normally heed reasoned advice as he was a sensible guy. But everything was perfectly in its place and Bob couldn’t imagine unpacking it. His desire for order influenced a decision which would prove costly. Bob awoke in the middle of the night to find a bear ripping open his car and create havoc to get to his food.
We are all driven by intricate combination of thoughts, desires and cultural needs. The reasons we store things can offer awareness and better decisions.