The Burden of Excess

Excess is the opposite of Minimalism. It is defined as exceeding the prescribed or desirable amount. It could also be defined as lack of moderation especially when it comes to eating or drinking. An amount of something that is more than necessary, permitted, or desirable can be labelled excess.

 You live in excess when there is much baggage accompanying you around/clinging to your life. Excess keeps you from enjoying life yet it was meant to offer you that enjoyment. We live in excess when we get into the habit of amassing more and more toys with the mistaken notion that more is better. Excess is fueled by our insatiable greed to get our hands on the latest and the greatest. Couple that with the consumerism that has plagued our generation and there is a perfect recipe for excess living. This explains why consumer goods manufacturers will keep producing more and more and spending huge amounts on aggressive marketing campaigns to get us buying up more and more. Excess or large living happens when we fail to put a break on our appetites and outgrow our insatiability.

It is common knowledge that stuff does not have the ability to fulfill us and our deepest longings. Yet in that moment when we are getting our next toy, we mistakenly believe that we have reached the holy grail of satisfaction. The cycle repeats itself because after playing with it for a few days, the excitement wears off and we need something else to occupy ourselves with. King Solomon had first-hand experience of the futility of it all which made him come to the conclusion that it is all in vain. Here was a man who had the means to get his hands on all the pleasures available in his time and he did it to his fill. It is noted that he didn’t withhold anything from his eyes. He indulged all his senses in ways we probably will never do because for him there was no limit on what he could do. When such a man concludes it is vanity, he is not doing it to make himself feel good. He is speaking out of a genuine experience. When the ultra-wealthy come to the conclusion that there is more to life than acquiring stuff, it means more than when it comes from someone who has yet to make their kind of money. We do ourselves a favor when we pay attention to what those who have been there tell us because it is born out of experience. From this I bet it is clear that one of the burdens you note about living large is that you will never live large enough because greed is insatiable. You have to learn to live from a point of contentment if your life will go well.

The more you purchase, the more you have to maintain your purchases. It is wise to count the cost of what you are about to acquire to tell whether you are willing to put in the time. Cars need to be serviced regularly, extra homes need to be maintained though you live there for just a few days every year. I was watching a YouTube video on Alux.com where they were counting the cost of owning a private jet and the amounts were staggering. When you think about hiring crew for the jet, landing and parking fees, regular maintenance, deicing, fuel to name a few of the associated costs, you realize it is not a walk in the park. Well, you might not be thinking of owning a private jet but the idea I am driving t is that it is costly to maintain whatever toy or trinket you buy yourself. It is imperative therefore to ask yourself whether you really need it before you splurge on it because the cost does not end at the buying price. You have to look beyond that to get clearer picture.

Living large can also curtail your ability to be of greater service to the world around you. I know generosity is a matter of the heart and there are people who are not in the least bothered by the lack of it. My belief however is that those people are in the minority. I am persuaded that many of us want to do as much good as we possibly can. Excess living takes away from our ability to do that. This is because it not only digs deep into our pocket, it also ends up consuming more of our time than we would care to admit.

I am not against you or anybody else for that matter enjoying their lives because life is meant to be enjoyed. My concerns are directed more towards ensuring that as you enjoy the blessings bestowed on you, you spare a thought for those who are not as privileged as you are. Think about how cutting out excess will free up some resources to make a difference in someone’s life out there. Aspire to be a blessing with the blessings in your own life.

What more can you add in the comments with regard to the weights and burdens of an excess life? Go ahead and enlighten us all further. Learn more about how you can use the resources at your disposal for your good and the good of others by getting a copy of my book Blessed to be a Blessing. To order call +254725832477.

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