What Do You Collect?

We, humans, love to collect. According to psychologists, people collect for different reasons. Some collect out of a sense of nostalgia. Others collect as a way to shape or reflect their identity. Some people are allured to the hunt. Others find value in things that will remain even after they pass away. Another fun theory is that collecting is “a way for a man to attract potential mates by signaling his ability to accumulate resources.” Ah, to think all those baseball cards I accumulated when I was 8 years old would later land me a wife……thanks, Ryne Sandberg rookie cards!!!

I love asking people about their collecting habits. They are as unique as fingerprints. Everyone seems to have their own thing, for their own reasons. My friend Gary collects license plates from all the countries he travels to. They are a reminder of the memories made and relationships created. A few of my friends collect vintage video games, which remind them of their childhood wonderment when they were first introduced to 8-bit gaming. A few of my friends collect Star Wars memorabilia because, well, they just really love Star Wars. Some of my friends collect guns and/or cars, partly because they enjoy using them and partly because they are fascinated by the engineering.

When I was younger, I collected sports cards, Michael Jordan memorabilia, and CDs. Over time, my collecting habits died out. When I ask myself why they died, I think part of it was because I became busy with other things, combined with the fact my life became more transient by moving all over the place. It’s hard to collect when you don’t take the time and don’t have a place to store things. I did dabble in watches, and I do buy a fair number of books, but there’s nothing in my life that I would call “my thing.”

I think I need something….but don’t know what. Please help me brainstorm. What do you collect? Why do you collect it? How has it added value to your life? I want to hear from you. Please drop a note in the comments below!