Life is like a closet full of clothes. It’s very difficult to know what you want to give away, donate or discard. It’s even harder to discard some of those items that have been given to us as gifts or those that have sentimental value. Some of these items may have little or no monetary worth but they fill our drawers and our storage bins. I have many such items that I cannot part with because they mean so much to me.
If I keep these items, will they have any special meaning to my children or my grandchildren? The last birthday card signed “with love” by my mother-in-law before she died over twenty years ago, the ripped sheet of paper from an old prayer book with my father’s signature so proudly written on it, the scribbled notes that my granddaughter left in the bathroom cupboard, the popcorn pictures and artwork from my other grandchildren, and the albums of numerous pictures that my husband so conscientiously organized...who will want these treasures that I have saved?
When I was sixteen years old, my then boyfriend was chosen to go on a school trip to Vancouver, BC. On his return, he gave me a beautiful sweater. That was over 40 years ago. That boyfriend became my husband, my friend, my lover, my confidant. Who will want that “holey” not “holy” sweater I have so carefully wrapped and stored in some box in my basement? Our children are going to have a huge laugh on us one day as they sort through our belongings and discover how sentimental we are!
4 comments:
Dolores, you hit the button with me! I'm the one in our household who has the most difficult time parting, for one reason or another, with seldom used and non-used items.
Our recent and necessary downsizing highlighted the difference between May's pragmatic letting go, and my "But, what if ..." reluctance to do so.
There'll be many a laugh and a shaking of the head awaiting our progeny, I'm sure.
Peter,
After your recent retirement and move, I knew you would be able to identify. Don't forget to watch for your post tomorrow on "A Woman's Voice". It looks great!
Scary thought, isn't it?
An excellent book that talks about dealing with the subject is 'The Boomer Burden: Dealing with your parents' lifetime accumulation of stuff' - . After I cleaned out my mom's stuff a few years ago, I view my own entirely differently. (Stuff, look out!!)
Violet,
My family and I just went through the same experience a couple of years ago with my Mom. "Stuff" is an appropriate word. We couldn't believe how much she actually saved. We thought she was tunneling it in from her neighbour's house! :)
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