Today I join my fellow bloggers in "serving up a slice"
for hosting this meeting place each Tuesday
This past week my daughter and son-in-law arrived from New York. Soon they will move to their home and begin new jobs, but for now they are bunking with us while they wait for their moving truck to arrive. My daughter, Sara, is one of those organized souls (must be a recessive gene from someone). She immediately tackled some stuff that she left behind years ago and began purging boxes and files. I was worried!
I knew that she would eventually get around to "helping" me. Yesterday afternoon, we entered Blake's old bedroom/mom's school stuff room. After retiring last summer, my school stuff has made a slow migration from school to garage in June, from garage to guest room in January (when the kitchen project began), and from guest room to Blake's old room in February (when son and wife came for a visit). I dubbed that move "the end of the line," and I've been slowly sorting stuff and getting rid of a little bit. That bit of stuff became a bigger chunk with Sara's help yesterday. She questioned me about things I wanted to keep. "Mom, do you really need this?" She was good at recognizing the enormous time I had spent on many things, but gently reminded me that I would probably never use it again. She even persuaded me to relinquish my fierce hold on several boxes and bless the recycling bin with piles of paper.
Today I read an article that Sara sent me from last week's New York Times, Let's Celebrate the Art of Clutter. The author, Dominique Browning, calls us to ". . . liberate ourselves from the propaganda of divestment." Hear, hear! Thank you, Dominique!
She continues . . . "I
would like to submit an entirely different agenda, one that is built on
love, cherishing and timelessness. One that acknowledges that in
living, we accumulate. We admire. We desire. We love. We collect. We
display.
And
over the course of a lifetime, we forage, root and rummage around in
our stuff, because that is part of what it means to be human. We
treasure.
Why on earth would we get rid of our wonderful things?"
So while I'll continue paring down the boxes and purging my school stuff, I'll use this time to forage, root, and rummage around in my treasures for they are indeed the wonderful things of my teaching life!
Oh your story could be mine. It's hard to get rid of "school" stuff...even the stuff you don't need. I admire my colleagues who upon learning they are changing even grades begin to purge and leave BOXES of books and stuff for others to forage. As for me....I am trying but I could use your daughter's help!
ReplyDeleteIt is so nice to know that someone out there understands! Only wish my husband did!
ReplyDeleteI loved that article, too, Ramona, & send best wishes for purging some of that 'stuff', but for keeping some also for memories? My book room is filled with more as I have slowly brought home all my stuff this year. I'm having a book sale in July, hoping that my books become manageable again. Have fun with your kids! So happy they're there!
ReplyDeleteThis is an article I need to bring out when my husband thinks he's going to "help" me organize. I want my stuff, he doesn't. I like your approach and thankfully your daughter has some respect for your things. They will go in time, but you get to pick that time.
ReplyDeleteYour post makes me laugh! I am a disorganizational goddess.It drives one of my sons crazy!
ReplyDeleteIt seems like reducing clutter is an endless pursuit, like Sisyphus and his boulder! I'd like to get rid of it in my house, but other family members like their stuff.
ReplyDeleteWhat a sweet time with you and your daughter... sometimes we need a nudge, that's for sure! I, too, struggle with what to treasure and what to send on its way... not so easy, sometimes. I think my biggest fear is purging, and wishing I had it back. But: aren't the things/people/places we love inside us all the time anyway?? Something to comfort myself with. :)
ReplyDelete