The Ring, The Car, The Book: What We Own & Why

 

Do We Own Things—Or Do They Own Us?

It was a quiet Sunday afternoon in the verandah of the ancestral home. The rustling leaves, distant temple bells, and the aroma of fresh pakoras filled the air. Seated in finely polished antique chairs were Grandpa Hari, his son Rajiv, and Rajiv’s daughter, Sambhavi.

Sambhavi, twirling her cup of tea, asked, “Dadu, what’s the one thing you own that means the most to you?”

Grandpa smiled. “Your grandmother’s wedding ring. I gave it to her on our first Diwali together. It’s not about gold or value, it’s about memories. Ownership, to me, is emotional. I own it not just to keep it safe, but because it carries our story.”

Rajiv nodded. “That’s true, Papa. But don’t you think ownership has changed over time? For me, it’s more about utility. I own a car because it makes life easier. I bought a house not just for shelter, but so we’d have a stable place to call our own. It’s functional, practical, even necessary.”

Sambhavi chimed in, “Interesting! For me, ownership is more about identity. The books I collect, the clothes I wear, they say something about who I am. Even the phone I use, it’s like an extension of my personality. I don’t just own things; I choose them because they represent me.”

Grandpa laughed. “Aha! So it’s about expression now. That’s new. In my day, we kept things for decades. Now people change phones every year!”

Rajiv leaned back. “True, but don’t you feel we sometimes go overboard? We keep buying, upgrading, owning more than we need. It can get stressful too - maintaining, securing, insuring…”

Sambhavi added thoughtfully, “And it clutters our minds. Sometimes I wonder if we own things or if they start owning us. Like my friend who bought a fancy camera but never uses it. She just liked the idea of having it.”

“Then there’s the environmental angle too,” Rajiv said. “Owning less and sharing more - cars, clothes, even homes - is becoming popular now.”

Grandpa nodded slowly. “Maybe the answer lies somewhere in between. We need some things. We want others. And some, like this ring,” he said, taking it out from his pocket, “we simply cherish.”

A gentle breeze passed through, carrying with it a shared silence.

Sambhavi finally said, “Maybe what matters is not how much we own, but why. Whether it’s for comfort, purpose, identity, or memory -if we’re conscious about our reasons, we’ll value things more.”

“And perhaps,” Grandpa added, “we’ll learn to value each other more too.”

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