Further Reflections on the Walk

not to be too philosophical - but joel made an insightful comment about my previous post (worth the walk) and the picture with the joking sign 'down and out', you can find his exact point by reading the comments for that post. his comment was on my mind as i did my normal lunchtime walk this afternoon.

what is the value of the 'stuff' we all just 'carry around' each day? here's everything that i took on this walk. admittedly, the camera is unusual - but the rest is not:

a) clothes $173 total:
sweatshirt ($20), shirt ($15), shorts ($15), two pair of socks ($8), running shoes ($70), sweatpants ($20), hat ($20), and underwear ($5 - no comments please)

b) consumer electronics $1,200 total:
ipod nano ($150), cool earphones ($90), digital camera ($600), 2 GB Memory card in camera ($30), cell phone ($~300 actual value although I got it as part of my cell phone plan at a greatly reduced price) omron pedometer ($30)

c) misc $350 total:
cash for food and drinks along the way ($20), sunscreen ($10), glasses - with graduated lenses for old folks ($300), backpack ($20)

that means that for a little walk to SF i carried on my person $1,723 worth of 'stuff'.

i don't reveal that financial data in any prideful or boastful way. please understand that. instead, i mention it because it challenges me in a profound way that sometimes in my life i consider myself just scraping by - or just making it in this difficult economy and world. perhaps that's a lifetime of financial insecurity brought about by my upbringing creeping through.

but, moving the focus off me and this one event and making a more broad point - joel makes a very interesting case that most people in america - many far less blessed that we might be still have many or most of the items i took along with me last friday. and yet we routinely are able to think of ourselves as 'poor'.

i meant my little sign as a joke - but maybe the joke is on me upon reflection.

your thoughts?