Immaterial material

There are many angry articles currently spinning around cyber-land about new film 'I don't know how she does it'.
"She doesn't have to!" "This dilemma is nothing new!" "A few kids and a job, it's not like she's a vigilante," they protest. Despite none of those being direct quotes, I assume the drift is caught.

I'm currently having my own clash of interests. It may not be as challenging as SJP's character in aforementioned film critic fest, but it's annoying nonetheless. Last week, you may be aware if you're a committed reader to my blog (hi, again Dad, who I'm not even certain reads these anymore), I lost my favourite vintage coat on a bus in London. I refused to dwell, however. FAO this isn't dwelling, and I'm not crying onto my keyboard, I get Autumn-induced hayfever and it's very serious.

No, I refused to mourn, as I cast my mind back to a resounding sentence I read somewhere in my pile of unread Buddhism literature. It went along the lines of 'no material objects you've had throughout your life will sit next to you on your death bed and say they'll miss you'. And it's true - attachment to material things is not beneficial, and at the time of reading it made perfect sense...

Why, then, do I still have to refrain from fatuously licking the fashion pages in magazines? And why have I already planned what I shall wear when I visit my boyfriend next week? I challenge any young, female follower of Buddhism to honestly tell me that they're heart doesn't flutter, their hands don't sweat and their tummy doesn't tingle when they walk past a Topshop sale.

Just as Buddhism evolves in accordance with science, I too wish to offer a factual interpretation of my own. Attachment to material objects is pointless. We should, indeed, focus our attention on the maintenance of human relationships. Losing, breaking or damaging an object should have no affect on your happiness. However, for any fashion conscious woman (or man), embrace the feeling of buying something new and how amazing its debut outing makes you feel.

 Don't feel guilty, shopping for clothes increases the heart rate, and how can you be expected to overlook all the lovely chemical changes that follow an hour of window shopping? You're not shallow, like any woman you enjoy the chase - the smells, the textures, the excitement - and as long as we promise not to cry when we inevitably outlive them - I'm sure the Dali Llama would approve.

Despite wanting to embrace all aspects of Buddhism, clothes shopping, in the words of Led Zeppelin, I can't quit you, baby.