Sentimentality to the Trash

On Monday, I was off work in honor of Martin Luther King Day. Having not cleaned my bedroom in a rather long time, it was in dire need of attention. Of course, I could not just pick up papers & throw them away-I had to look at them all. I came across old journals filled with sermon notes from years long ago, notes from my personal devotion time, prayer journals filled with my prayers for myself as well as many others (including some of you), journals with my random thoughts & the list goes on. I worked through my closet & found a lot that I had been holding onto for who knows why. I emptied out a container full of old movie stubs, concert tickets, sporting events, etc. A whole bunch of them from the past 15-20 years. If I ever went anywhere with any of you & had a stub or ticket, there was a good chance it was in the pile. On many of them, I had even written the names of those I had went with to the event. I had wrapping paper saved from a few gifts I had been given throughout the years. I had notes passed between friends & I during class in high school as well as slipped through the pews on Sunday mornings. I had a box of letters from friends, birthday cards, encouragement cards, cards in general that I received. As I looked at the pile before me, I wondered...what did I really need all of it for? Sure I could keep it, pull it out & reminisce but that stuff was only occupying space. Though I am definitely sentimental, I had to face the fact-I did not need all of that any longer. Though hesitant, I emptied it all out into the trash can & tomorrow morning when the trash runs, it will be long gone. I saved a few cards from grandparents (especially from my papa & my grandma who are neither one still living) & still have one box of letters that I can't part ways with...a box of letters from a guy. Perhaps one day, I'll be able to empty those as well but for now, I've said goodbye to enough.