On [the healing power of] Getting Rid of Stuff.

 

This afternoon I'm trying to gain motivation to head over to Jazzercise, but really I just want to recover from this weekend.

I've discovered the healthy healing power of purging crap from your life.

I remember little details about everything, which is one of the reasons it is so hard for me to get rid of stuff. I remember who gave me that trinket from a trip they went on; I remember what shirt I was wearing when significant events happened, I remember the places I've traveled when I see a pair of old shoes. I remember.

This memory is wonderful for things like taking exams, writing love notes, and sharing coffee with old friends. It is terrible, however, when trying to move across the country with only two suitcases.

But this memory is also wonderful for that, too. Taking a trip to the thrift store to drop off clothes becomes a healing exercise in leaving the past where it belongs. A facebook friend buying an old piece of furniture neutralizes all memories connected to that item. The act of physically removing objects that have come to serve as totems, whether intentionlly or not, can bring more closure than a million letters or conversations.

The remembering is in all the stuff around us.

Forgetting requires action.