Items That Represent So Many Memories
by Donna Swagerty Shreve
In elementary school I was in Camp Fire Girls and enjoyed many wonderful activities and friendships. We were to keep a scrapbook and they were checked each year to be proof of some of our achievements. One of the women who checked my memory book left quite an impression on me. She seem quite ancient to me and her name was Miss Young, which as a kid, I thought was quite ironic.
My memory book was full of pictures that accompanied my various events. It also had a few letters written from summer Camp Fire camp. She paused in her inspection of my book and shared with me what she had been doing her last few evenings. She lived alone and had saved all of her correspondence over her long life. A few days before she sat in front of her fireplace with a box full of letters. After she had read each letter, she threw it into the fire. I gasped and asked why. She replied that they were her letters and held wonderful memories but were no longer of value to anyone else. They had served their useful purpose. She was sparing other people who would have to go through her things when she died. That conversation has stayed with me over the years.
I am at a place where it would be kind to let go of various items that I have collected over the years that have special meaning only to me. Peeling away sentimental layers is difficult and I keep thinking I should at some time. Garage sales many times reveal much about the person selling the items. Many times circumstances dictate an older person giving up the family home and downsizing to a smaller facility, many times to an assisted home where a person can be taken care of without being a burden to the younger generation.
This has gotten me thinking about what would be on the tables at my garage sale before downsizing. I started the process when we moved from the home where we raised our family to the condo we presenting reside. All of that fancy silverware, china and crystal that I never use any more has been given away to family. Life is much simpler with basic dinner ware. I am no longer in the business of giving fancy parties. Grandma’s punch bowl was given to a deserving brother who has a large family and hosts big gatherings. The china went to a daughter-in-law who made the mistake of saying she liked the pattern. The plates were quickly packed up and delivered at a next visit.
Age has caught up with my fashion needs. One will not find any high heel shoes in my closet. Good steady footwear is so much more important than style. I can remember observing my grandmother and her sisters wearing their old people clothes. I now go for comfort over style.
Cooking has become much simpler and cookbooks have been given to second hand stores. I copied various recipes from the books before letting go of the books. Now I have binders crammed with recipes I use and think I might someday. Time to organize my recipes I really use and let go of the rest. If I am ever in need of a specialty recipe, I can google it. I have owned various fancy appliances that were used at one time but now just take up storage room. Fancy serving dishes I received from my mother have migrated out of the house. I no longer have my fondue pot or deep fryer. The pizza maker has gone. If ever I make a pizza I use a simple pizza pan. My waffle maker is long gone so why do I still seem to have so much left?
Yarn! I am a compulsive knitter and have afghans on every surface. Yearly I give away sweaters that I realize I do not wear. I knit many items during the year and collect for possible stocking stuffers. Slippers, scarves, hats all gather just in case I need an extra gift. Then there is the left over yarn that is not enough for a big project but can be used for some project. I started knitting animals and dolls so any scrap yarn could find a purpose, if I would just do it.
When we moved from the family house to the condo I downsized my bookcases. I have switched to an electronic reading devise so real books just take up space. Slowly I have found homes for most books that I have enjoyed through the years.
Genealogy has become quite a project for me and I have binders filling several book cases full of information I have found over the years. I am trying to put the information onto a web site I do with my brother but I am so behind on what else can be done. I am glad I will not be around when my binders are thrown away. They represent so many years of research but they are only really important to me.
Retiring from my teaching career emptied out my closet. At least half of my wardrobe was filled with “teacher uniforms.” Now my closet has filled up again with comfortable clothing. I do have a special section of my closet dedicated to my travel “uniforms.” If I think of them as uniforms, I am less likely to burn them when I return from a trip. I also have my dress up clothes that are reserved for those special occasions when it is appropriate to dress up and look nice. With having uniforms for various events, I am able to separate myself from worrying about what is best to wear.
I worry about the boxes still stored in the garage. My oldest son assured me that our garage was so mild compared to him or some of his friends. Of course we are neighbors with two different families that immaculate garages that are just used to park their cars. What a concept.
Now it is time to let go of the next layer of “stuff.” Maybe that should be my New Year’s resolution.
1058 words
1/2/23
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