Published June 12, 2025 | By Alyx E, Founder of Collectors MD

There’s a moment that doesn’t get talked about enough in the hobby.

Not the chase. Not the hit. Not the high. Not the crash. It’s what comes after the rip—when the adrenaline fades, and all that’s left are you and the cards.

It’s in that stillness after the rip where something deeper can actually begin. Because if you slow down enough, and really sit with it—regardless of the cards that come out of the box—you might find something surprising there: gratitude.

Not for a 'nuke' or a 1/1. But for the pause. The memory. The subtle joy of ripping not just for the chase, but for what it represents to you—when it starts to feel personal—not performative.

Gratitude is more than just a feel-good sentiment. It’s a protective force. When we anchor ourselves in appreciation, we interrupt the spiral that so many of us know too well—The one that whispers: “Just one more box.”

That slope is dangerously slippery—especially if you're wired to chase. One rip inevitably becomes two. Two becomes a case. A case becomes a chase you can’t afford to lose. But gratitude puts a hand on your shoulder and says: “One box was enough.”

It’s easy to forget how lucky we are to even participate in this hobby. To experience opening a box of trading cards. To hold and appreciate a card—regardless of it's monetary value. To engage in something that brings us joy—when so many people in the world will never get that chance.

When you pause to recognize that—when you stop and let that truth hit—you create space. Space between you and the compulsion. Space to breathe. Space to remember why you started collecting in the first place.

That moment after the rip? That’s where the clarity lives. That’s where the healthier version of this hobby begins.

Remember, collecting is more than okay—when it comes from intention, not impulse.

#CollectorsMD
Sometimes the most valuable moment isn’t what you rip—it’s what you feel once it’s over.

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