Letting go . . .

What is it about our stuff that makes it hard to let go of? For me it is probably the memories attached to them and maybe when the stuff goes, I wonder if the memory will go, too. And doesn't our stuff also represent our tastes and interests and tell stories about who we are? Maybe out of love someone gave us something and the sentiment stays even after the person is gone. Individually our stuff is like pieces of us and it hard to cut off a piece as if it is unnecessary. And silly me...I still worry about the environment and the landfills and who else would like it so I take way too much time trying to recycle in some way, when each day in my little hospital environment, there is more trash taken off than I have in a year. To rid and therefore free myself of stuff, I must change my mindset and be cold and ruthless about these things in my home that I am attached to. Our stuff speaks about our life journeys and in some ways defines us. No wonder it is hard to let go.

I remember an older friend once saying that she had empty drawers in her dresser (which I couldn't imagine) and kept only the bare essentials for living comfortably. Though in good health she was close to her eighties and didn't want her children to have to deal with so much of her stuff when she died. I doubt that I could ever be that spartan, but I do think she may be on the right track. Now off to go through another stack.