The Old

Isn't it so interesting how things with such little value can hold such a place on our heart. My mom called me the other day to let me know they are having a rummage sale this weekend, long story short - come get your stuff out of our house or we sell it. No, it wasn't that bad, but yes, I do need to clear stuff out of there. After looking through the rows of items they have lined up in the garage, I gained some good house ware items that I was in dire need of, but I just didn't know it until this evening.

As I was going through my closet from high school I found pictures from every event I attended and every one's senior pictures that I had collected. Why is it so hard to throw pictures away, even when you don't speak to or even know the person in the picture with you anymore?

creative old school senior pic...

I came across some presents I had collected over the years (no offense to some people), but they weren't the most practical of things to give, but yet, I just couldn't let them go. For example, I had a cow (my favorite animal) that you hang from the ceiling and he has wings that flap. Now who wants a flying cow in their house....but yet it was a present from a dear friend, and I appreciate that. I also had received a frisbee (still unused), a cow shaped pillow, a soccer ball (unused and now rather flat), etc., all of which still lay in a box in my closet.

Then in the back of my closet, I have a nasty, dusty, embroidered dark blue corduroy jacket. Yes, I was a member of the Blue Plague, better known to most as the FFA. And no, it doesn't stand for Future Farmers of America anymore. They wanted to expand their horizons to include those who don't live on farms and don't want to be farmers, such as myself. Never did I like those jackets and never did I want one. But now, as it comes time for me to throw items out that I don't and never will need again - I struggle to pass on my horrid FFA jacket. I use the excuse that it has my name on it so it won't do anyone else any good (which is true), but I know in my heart and head it's a lot deeper than that. While wearing the most uncomfortable uniform anyone could, my team members and I created a lot of crazy, fun and off the wall memories that only true FFA-ers could. Still, in the pockets I had some of the notes, past-times and "collectibles" that I had saved from over 4 years ago. I just couldn't get rid of the jacket...if it went to anyone, they just wouldn't care for it as much as I do...

In a time where it is so easy to lose touch with so many people, it feels like you are keeping them close to you when you hold on to those items that trigger your happy memories. It's why I still have my grandmothers hair brush. It's the brush that she would brush my hair with after I would sit and watch her brush hers. It's why I have some of my mother's jewelry and my father's trophy. I have a flag my brother had ripped off a banner from one of his cross country meets and jokingly gave it to me as a "souvenir." All of these collections are in addition to the millions of pictures I have between my boxes, computers and memories. With family and friends scattered around the world, sometimes you want to have those memories close, in a form of something that you can hold and take with you. I know many of the items I told my parents that I wanted to keep would mean nothing to many, but they mean a lot to me.