Published March 11, 2026 | By Jared A, Collectors MD Community Member
Cardboard might seem like a simple purchase, but for me it represents something deeper. Buying a card creates a moment of interaction. It gives me a small sense of control and accomplishment, even when everything else feels uncertain. The act of choosing a card, holding it, and adding it to a collection brings a feeling of self-worth that is hard to explain. It’s not just about the card itself. It’s about the meaning attached to the act of collecting.
For a long time, I realized that cards were also a kind of distraction. Instead of dealing with certain thoughts or feelings, I could focus on the excitement of opening packs and searching for something valuable. I never intended to turn it into something transactional – like buying cards just to flip them. The point was never profit. The point was the feeling of connection to the collection and the small thrill of possibility each time a new card was revealed.
Modern technology has made this hobby very different from what it used to be. With just a phone and social media, it’s possible to build an entire collection with almost no face-to-face interaction. Online marketplaces, trading groups, and videos of pack openings have made the process fast and convenient. Yet something about it can also feel strangely isolating. The collection grows, but the human connection around it sometimes shrinks.
Over time, I began to see collecting as a metaphor for life itself. Every moment we experience is like a card added to a personal collection. We are constantly gathering memories, whether we realize it or not. Some moments feel like the “big hits” – the rare cards that stand out and define who we are. They might be moments of success, excitement, or joy. Other times, the hits go the other direction. Moments of disappointment or failure that still leave a lasting mark.
The real question is what we do with these moments. Do we treat them like common cards that get tossed into a pile and forgotten? Or do we slab them up and preserve them because they matter?
The difficult truth is that most of life isn’t made up of rare, exciting pulls. Most days are ordinary. If life were a pack of cards, the majority would probably be duplicates. Simple base cards that look almost the same as the ones before them.
But those duplicates still matter. They fill out the set. Without them, the collection would feel incomplete.
In the end, collecting cards taught me something unexpected. Life is less about chasing the rare hit and more about appreciating the entire collection, even the ordinary pieces that quietly make it whole.
#CollectorsMD
The moments we keep shape the life we build, one card at a time.
—
Follow us on Instagram: @collectorsmd
Subscribe to our Newsletter & Support Group
Join The Conversation On Mantel
Read More Daily Reflections