Remembrances

Like many Generation X'ers my grandparents were hoarders born out of The Great Depression. There are stories about my fathers' parents and the clean up of their house after they moved out. We found paper plates from my first birthday (this was during the mid 90's so I was a teenager) sitting in a small stack with other gently worn paper plates. Each one was tenderly rinsed by my grandmother after their use. There were coffee cans of worn down pencils, no lead, dull point, used eraser. The amazing fact was, the house wasn't cluttered at all. It was almost spartan, yet full of these random items. Habits formed from a difficult decade, compounded by time.

My parents are hoarders. Sheds, paid for storage, and garages are a legacy handed down to me.

These thoughts about belongings stem from an e-mail from my sister. She is attempting to break the cycle of "collecting" and I applaud her effort. I have more than enough to furnish a small house by myself. It becomes ludicrous when you add a flatmate to the equation.

I mention this to say that I keep these things because of the memories they hold. Trophy's for the games and seasons I won and played. Clothes that no longer fit, haven't worn in years, but I may wear them sometime. Games/toys for my children (if/when that happens). Each item kept because of the memory.

I look at this now and see all that I have accumulated and wonder, "will I ever use this again?" Stuffed animals, soiled due to storage and age, won't ever be handed down. Gadgets that have had their batteries leak and corrode from the inside out. These items get tossed, left by the wayside so that I can fill it with something new or modern.

All this and my thoughts linger on this aspect. Many years down the road I will rummage through my belongings, going through them for some reason. I will stumble upon some item that brings up a memory and reminisce. I will be thankful that I kept that item and remember all the others that I cast away. Each item kept means that many more were lost. Are the items I am keeping the ones I value and cherish the most? What do I value the most? Is it something tangible like a picture of friends from high school or the continued relationship I have with them?

I know, at some point, I will look back and be thankful that I kept these items. They were the ones to make the cut year after year. This will be part of my legacy left to those that follow me. Are these items truly worth establishing as an heirloom? But, really, do Lego's ever go out of style?