I finally did it. That one box in the garage that has been tightly sealed for years is now gone. I was keeping it because I thought the contents had value, either real or just sentimental.
After I went through it with a realistic and open mind, I shipped most of it off to goodwill.
After I went through it with a realistic and open mind, I shipped most of it off to goodwill.
I have no regrets.
I suspect you are a little like me. Getting rid of things isn't always easy. I'm not like those unbelievable people on television who have to call a reality show to help get to the bottom of the pile. I watched that once and it was too painful to watch again. Stacks of stuff, often for the sake of the collection itself, everywhere. People who cannot sleep on their bed because it is stacked with unsorted clothes. It makes my few boxes seem tame.
But there still is something to be said for holding on to our possessions, long after their shelf life has expired. Over my life, I've kept treasures in the garage and the basement. The closet, too
Some of it is obviously junk. Other things remind me of days gone by. I recently went through a box of balls in the shed. Baseballs, kickballs, soccer balls and basketballs. There's no one home anymore to play. The boys are a thousand miles a way and nary a grandchild on the way. Holding on to these balls reminded me of the thousands of hours we spent, tramping down the grass, laughs and shrieks piercing the air. Silence hangs now. Time to let another little boy play catch with his dad.
Some of these treasures remind me of past victories. I kept that third place trophy from the Pinewood derby for decades. I was nine at the time. But my dad and I worked on that car until the wee hours of the morning of the race. We won it together and getting rid of the trophy seemed like invalidating the event. The cheap plastic momento is now gone, but the victory is not forgetten.
Like a cluttered house, a mind cluttered with the past leaves no room for anything new. If my mind is filled with memories of failed relationships, deserted friends and family members who have disappeared, then I don't leave room for the new.
There are those times when the boxes should be put in the bin at the back of the second hand store and never thought of again.
14 comments so far - add yours here:
I don't want to say too much here, David. This is powerful. Just wanted to let you know I stopped by, and I appreciate both your honesty and the hopefulness in this piece.
Thank you for your honesty and openness!
We keep so much stuff. Maybe we haven't learned what to do with memories yet?
Yes indeed. Been feeling that way lately as we're going through boxes after our move. I'm thinking, holy cow, I have some boxes that were sealed from our move to Colorado almost six years ago and were still sealed when we moved back to Indiana this past year! That other stuff about the cluttered mind...I won't comment on that. ;)
I have been titled the "Keeper of Things" in my family. And I do. During the holidays, I moved those toys that are too little now - the Buzz Lightyears and Princess Dolls - to the attic. But I also took a large portion of stuff to goodwill also. There's a balance I think to this sort of de-cluttering. A branding in brain and then letting go before possessions can go. For me it's definitely seasonal.
...Matthew has a point..what to do with all the memories...they are infact encrypted and carefully stored for later use..or misuse,in a manner of speaking..the sum of my experiences good and bad is my story..its not necessarily WHO i am but what i did and what happened..i dont deny my story nor do i repress it when memories temporarily emerge back into consciousness and remind me of reality..i simply dont choose to DWELL on it for days(anymore)..the usefulness of retaining my past story is in its sheer power to control my ever aspiring Ego and keep me ever present with the all the other ragamuffins at Jesus's feet.....
I was separated from most of my "stuff" in 2006 as the result of a divorce.
It's made me, mostly, dispassionate about hanging on to things. And then now and then I grieve for the stuff I left behind.
Clearing the clutter from my mind, from my heart? That's a whole lot harder.
Thank you for this, David.
The key on the kitchen counter. The photos left behind...David...this is beautiful in its restraint.
Thank you for this glimpse into the boxes you have kept sealed shut.
May this be a year you fill shelves with new memories, new photographs, new joys and happiness.
You are so speaking my language! Clutter messes with my head. In fact, my word for the year is "order."
I've gone through some major declutter fests. Many of the things I let go--including sentimental stuff and family antiques--I took photos of before I waved bye-bye. It helped some.
Wise words from a wise friend. I think we were both thinking along the same wave length when we each wrote our posts.
Good to "see" you.
we certainly are not going to take it with us...and it saves having someone else do it for us.
good post.
Ah, new beginnings. Sweeping out the cobwebs. It's funny how I hold on to things that need letting go. I'm glad you are making room for a new thing, David. Praying God's glorious riches to fill.
Thank you for this.
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