Funny how a word grabs you. I think the need to possess is a gene. It’s such a strong character trait. ‘Own, have, hold’, I have to tell my Thesaurus that these words do not describe the desire for control and power that goes hand in hand with possession. Wanting possession, and once you’ve got it, never letting go. How you will fight and behave in ways you would never have imagined to ‘ keep’ possession.

Take, seize and control do not fully describe the deep seated need, way down inside of you, or indicate the lengths you will go to retain what you own. To care for it, keep it safe.

We have this need to possess in relation to cars, homes , animals and jewellery. Big things , little things and sentimental things. And people. I have it for a wardrobe. The wardrobe sits in the spare room with no clothes in it anymore. Actually when I just looked there are a few dresses there I’d forgotten all about. It belonged to my grandfather. I always had it in my room growing up. It is my wardrobe. Despite the fact I do not use it anymore I cannot give it away.

Why? I am asked.

“I do not know.”

I knew a child once whose first word was ‘mine’. And you should have seen me that day a woman sidled up to my husband with stars in her eyes. She would have been instantly aware my eyes were flashing ‘mine’, also.

Sheep can be possessive. Frisco pushes the others away to stand and let me scratch his nose the way he likes. He will block the exit for as long as he likes, but he doesn’t put up with anyone else getting the scratch, not at all.

I know people who give away everything. They have no need at all to possess. I do not understand them.

“Why? ”I ask.

“I do not know” is their answer.

So it must be a gene. Something we are born with, something beyond our control. Some of us get a double dose. This makes for a wonderful character arc in a story. A real motivation for why they did what they did. It’s been used a lot, obviously.

Today I can shout out ‘my turn’. Aus Rom Today, a wonderful website promoting Aussie Romance authors is mine today. When they decided to promote Aussie authors in January 2015 they got three times the number of authors clamouring to be included than they expected, so they’ve been putting up three a day all this month. And it’s my turn today.