Harry & Andrea

(I never really got a chance to write about Part 1, but that happened when we put our house on the market back in October.)

I’m just not good at throwing things away. Remember the chair?  Although, it isn’t furniture or large possessions that cause me the most grief. It’s books and cards and other sentimental pieces of paper. I’m the person that occasionally panics that I won’t be able to find all of my Facebook status updates from the last few years–as if I would ever need them–and worries about the emails that get lost when I change email programs–instead of thanking the good Lord that there’s one less thing I need to spend time thinking about. I like the idea of boxes of unexpected treasures hidden behind every corner, but the reality is that it’s stifling–a cloud hanging over me. And really, would it be better to have pieces of paper to show my children one day, or to spend the time that I would spend looking for that piece of paper building my relationships with them?

We have to throw things away if we’re going to be able to manage packing up our lives for two years with some sense of sanity. Some things are just not meant to last forever. And that’s ok.

Today’s task: Purging. For example…

• a church bulletin from 1994 with my notes on the back.
• a long letter from a friend that I’m not as closely in touch with that happily reminds me of the bond we have and makes me sad that we’ve lost touch at the same time. It reminded me of some fun things that we did our freshman year in college.
• graduation cards from high school AND college
• a newspaper with an article about the death of a man I worked for one summer.
• programs from high school events like awards ceremonies and commencement.
• glamour shots–anyone remember those?
• letters and cards from people who are now with the Lord.
• notes from people I can almost remember.
• my friend Cindy’s schedule for second semester junior year–not sure how I ended up with that!
• a sweet list of memories compiled by my family about my grandmother (Nanny) who died when I was in college. (this one I’m going to save electronically–don’t worry!)
• a score card from Q-zar and a print out of my actual weight and my ideal weight (I won’t tell you how much that’s changed since 1998!)
• a wedding program from my friend Natalie’s wedding.
• an encouraging note from someone thanking me for leading a Bible study in college.
• cards given to my family when my grandmother died.
• postcards that I saved as keepsakes and I can’t figure out what to do with.
• the paper in my handwriting that I used to memorize Marc Antony’s speech: “Friends, romans, countrymen…” (Thanks, Mrs. Heard.)
• 1996 Olympics and Lion King bandaids.
• Canadian stamps and money from a trip with my parents circa 1991.

I’m repeating to myself over and over again–throwing these things away doesn’t mean I’m throwing away the people or the memories. I fleetingly wonder if I will regret The Great Purge, and then I remember the freedom. But, it also also makes me ask the question: What’s the best way to catalog your life so that you remember the important things and people, but don’t hang on too long or too tightly to possessions or even bad memories? I don’t have an answer yet, but I’m trying to live my life in a way that doesn’t lend itself to regret, in a way that cherishes the moments I am given and trusts God.

Stay tuned for tomorrow’s task of sorting and organizing (and, of course, some purging) old lesson plans from 4.5 years of teaching…and hear how I battle the evil “But, what if I need this again one day…”