What Matters Most Blake Masters

If I were to follow Henry David Thoreau's advice to simplify my life and eliminate any unnecessary possessions, I would find myself with perhaps half a dozen of the most important left. It is said that one can tell a lot about a person by his most prized possessions. Knowing this, I made a good effort to think of what objects are really necessary in my life, and the following are some that I would retain.

First, I would keep my soccer boots. While my teammates eagerly browse through soccer catalogues each September and buy the latest European models, I have proudly worn my beat-up Adidas Copa Mundial boots for three years - the entire span of my Varsity soccer career. Like most meaningful relationships, the bond between my cleats and me was unplanned; I had no intention of holding on to these boots for three years when I first bought them. I guess they sort of grew on me, almost like extensions of my feet. I treat them with leather conditioning and buffering after each use, and have found that in reciprocity they treat me very well on the field. My boots have such a great meaning because playing soccer has been such a great outlet for me during high school - kicking the ball around has always been a stress reliever and an...