Discussion»Statements»Rosie's Corner» Some things we have a very hard time trying to let go of while others things we walk away from without ever looking back. How do we do that?
It depends on what we associate with said thing. It's hard to "let go" of something if there's a good memory attached to it (I remember helping my grandmother knit that quilt when I was 5). It's also hard to let go of something that's comfortable or "snuggy" feeling (i.e. sweatshirt, jeans, underwear). Our reasoning usually being, "they don't make things like this anymore". Yet if something is merely a "thing" to us (i.e. a bread bag, the box your new TV came in, a broken toaster), it's easy to simply toss it out. Some things are more "dear" to one person than they are to another. You may find your worn sweatshirt comfy, but your husband may think its a piece of crap. He may even buy you a new one to replace it. (thank you for buying this for me, dear, but I like the one I have).
Unfortunately, things don't last forever, no matter how hard we try to keep them. Drawings our kids made when they were young turn yellow and crumble. That comfortable sweatshirt you liek so much will fade and become threadbare. One day it won't return from the washing machine or dryer (just lint in a lint filter). That precious quilt your grandmother knitted with you will eventually turn to dust as well (whether you use it or not). Even our memories become distorted and fade with time. Even though we like to cling to things, nothing here is permanent.
It may not be permanent m'dear but if it outlasts my life I'm good with it. I have a cat picture my son made in grammar school. He is now 52. I also have a vase he made in grammar school. A coke bottle covered with some sparkly paper that adhered to it. My favorite vase. So you see that those things that I treasure I keep around. A "parent's present" that broke years ago my husband glued back together. An orange swan in which I put my rings and necklace each day. He was 5! Jim says I am VERY sentimental. I cannot argue with that. Thank you for your thoughtful reply Shuhak. I am hopeless! :)
This post was edited by RosieG at April 27, 2018 2:35 PM MDT
My mom kept all our school papers and projects. When we helped her clean out her shed a few years back, we made her toss a lot of it (especially anything with mildew on it). After 50+ years, most of it had disintegrated from age (literally turned to dust). It was fun going through that stuff. While my siblings made actual things in grammar school (a boat made out of tongue depressors, egg-carton centipedes), I wrote stories (any surprise?).
No. I am not at all surprised at that m'dear. I have a cardboard box with lots of things from his childhood. Notes he wrote to me letting me know were he was so that when I came home from work I could always contact him at a friend's. Papers he wrote. At one point he wrote for a local newspaper when he graduated from UCLA with a B.A. and I have copies of those. After he got his Ph,D he wrote a few things that found their way into books and I have those too. I have a copy of his hardbound Dissertation in which I am mentioned along with some of his friends. Such mementos keeps me touch with a time in my life that was very precious to me. It is not any news to anyone that children grow up way too fast and move on in their lives. Of course that is the whole point of parenting. Giving your kids the best you can and guiding them and being there for them until they've built the necessary muscle and developed strong wings and the courage to fly. You don't want them stuck in the nest afraid to try. But still it makes one wistful on occasion for the "good old days". Thank you for your reply Shuhak and Happy Saturday! :)
Shuhak 