Memories & Sentiment

I think maybe somehow I didn't get the gene that causes one to feel sentimental about things. Thinking back, I had a harmonica that my dad played. To me, it was just that: a harmonica. It wasn't my dad, it didn't necessarily evoke memories of my dad. My nephew was "taken" with it, so I gave it to him. I've had several things I feel that way about. Yes, I remember where they came from, when I got them, how I got them, who owned them previously...but they're still just objects to me. Last night I was lying in bed thinking of the numerous piles I have accumulated for others. There's nothing of any monetary value in any of this, it just needs to move on.

Presently, I have a box and a rather large sack to take to my sister. The sack is fairly full of old vcr tapes. She got a dvd player last year, but has now inherited her daughter's old vcr. Some of these tapes were hers and she gave them to me. I mentioned that I was re-watching them and then putting them in the "garage sale" room in the basement. She's decided she'd like to re-watch them also. The box has a lot of Sunday crossword puzzles (too time consuming for me); a bowl; several items from the newspaper; a Christmas stocking with a chewy in it for Honey, her dog; and a couple of crossword puzzle books that I've ignored too long. Jude loves crosswords. I've discovered Sudoku and work only the weekday crossword puzzle in the News. I also have notes stuck to the box of bigger items I want to take to her: a couple of pieces of carpet for Honey's crate and some other junk.

I have a small pile on top my microwave of three or four items I want to give a friend of mine. They aren't Christmas gifts...it's just time to let someone else enjoy them. Once an item has sat in a cupboard in paper towels for a year or two, I think it's time to move on. I've been reading back on a friend's blog, and every once in awhile, I'll think, "Hey...I have that....she could use that!!!" (I've even considered tagging the items with particular blog dates so she'd know why I'm unloading them on her!)

Then I have a large pile at the top of the basement stairs for my dog groomer. One day it occurred to me, I have 8 like-new towels in a bathroom that I almost never shower in. I have three towels in a bathroom that I never bathe in. I had about 7 or 8 towels that were practically rags near the basement shower, which I use daily. Why am I using ragged towels when I have perfectly nice towels I could use? So, four of the like-new towels went downstairs, and the raggedy one are going to my dog groomer for drying dogs and for crate liners. Also in her "pile" are a couple of jars of jalapeno jelly, a photograph I think she needs, a small Christmas thank-you gift, and some accumulated dog scarves.

Then downstairs I have another pile of stuff for a friend of mine that makes creative cards. In digging for some carpet scraps for Honey's crate (see above), I found several rolls (one completely sealed with the original cellophane) of wallpaper and some border trim. These were left here by the previous owners of this house, who clearly LOVED wallpaper...and evidently 10-penny nails! I've stripped enough wallpaper and spackled enough holes that I'm quite sure I'll never need this stuff! Also found some stray ribbons and odds and ends while getting out my Christmas decorations.

So, if all goes as planned, I'll be seeing each of these people within the next week or two. I hope they'll be happy with their stuff, but I know I'll be happy to unload it. I'll feel like I've cleaned house! Between that and then Christmas will come and go and all those decorations will come down, so by January I'll feel "gathered" up. My son tells me to adopt the college student's creed: Don't Accumulate! (That's probably because he realizes someday he'll have to come clean it all up.)

I have friends and acquaintances that tell me they keep this or that and I wonder why. Do those items really make them feel closer to someone that has passed on in one way or another? Evidently they do. It just doesn't work for me. If I've kept something (and I have) it's because I like it, not because it makes me think of someone in particular (even though it may do that too). I do like photographs, but to me, stuff is usually just stuff! Sorry! (if that requires an apology.)