DO I NEED IT?

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We are in the process of cleaning for our some-day move, and a lot of decisions have to be made. I am a sentimentalist: I like to keep every card and letter I ever received in my life. There are things that mark a certain point in my life that has some kind of meaning.

I have a huge collection on the Second World War: books of the scientists and politicians that shaped the world in the late 1930’s and half the 1940’s. The reason the world went to war, the circumstances that affected the world’s population and the thinking behind the great strategies.

There is a very big collection on the history of baseball, books, pictures and what not, all for my constant reading enjoyment and memories of the days gone by. Baseball is my love: it has entertained me for well over 60 years!

Then there is my collection on art history and the artists and their works. This is so interesting as it reflects the thinking of the times, the history of people and places, so much good stuff that I think I now have to part with, and this does not account for my professional life, the things I created and designed, the things that gave me life and breath, the things that reflected who I am.

 

These are in a way my children, because they all are a part of me.

TLW (The Little Woman) has a solution to my dilemma: “Get rid of it!”

How cold, how mean and how true! She is right she always was and still is.

“You have to make a list of that you head: Do I need this?” A list that says: when was the last time I used this? One that says why am I keeping it?

“Oh, every time I do that, your name comes to the front of the list!” Ignoring my spicy comeback she suggest that I suck it up and do it.

“What good will it be to you on your death bed when you are 85-years old?”

“I planned on living longer than that, do you know something I don’t?”

“You know, the only things I saved were the children’s baptismal clothes and your cards and letters!” She really makes it tough for me to argue with her.

“But you save the kids baptismal clothes so you can get all teary eyed when you look at them!” I retort.

Now I need to start sleeping with one eye opened when I’m 85!

I guess I have to start making hard choices. She thinks I should sell my stuff on Craig’s list or E-Bay, I’d rather sell my soul than do that, because in essence I would be. Life can be unfair.