SamSaid!

JUNK, AND NOSTALGIA

     My wife and I are in the process oif selling a nice home that had been our primary residence for well over a decade  –  12+ years. The whole process falls into a series of very logical –  and typical  –  steps. First there is the threshhold decision to sell. Sometimes, that can be a bit traumatic. The very thought of someone else living in OUR house. Once getting past that hurdle, the rest sort of falls into place. We get a realtor, decide on the asking price, wait for a offer, dicker on a settlement price, reach agreement, get the pre-requisite inspection approvals, sign the papers  –  and then move out. It is at this point when things get more difficult.

     It is truly amazing how much “stuff” can be accumulated in 14 years. Little stuff, bigger stuff, inconsequential stuff, valuable stuff, duplicate stuff, etc., etc., etc. Confronted by this massive amount of “stuff”, or “junk” as it is termed by some, there are several ways to dispose of it. First, ask the kids what they would like; then have a “moving “or “garage ” sale; then look to local charities, and then look for ways in which to just give it away to someone who will agree to take it. The problem is that all of this “stuff” has a special value. There is a story or experience attached to every bit of it . And that makes pitching it a tough call.

    We know we can't keep it, and there is no place in which to put it, so it has to go. But in consigning these various  items to the scrap heap, I feel like I am throwing away a little bit of my life. Sure, I'll be accumulating new stuff starting tomorrow, but nostalgia applies to the past, not the future. So, I guess I'll take a deep breath and gulp a time or two and then say bon voyage. The items will be gone, but the memories will stay  –  at least for a while.

     Moving can be a very exciting experience, but pitching the little treasures doesn't come easy. At least, for me.