Soon.
Very soon, I shall lug my collection of vinyl albums up the stairs, down the gravel walk, and into the car.
I’ll drive them to the local record store, haul them inside, and return another day for payment.
Though I know they won’t net much releasing them this way, I no longer care.
I’m worn out holding my vinyl sweeties this long, moving them from home to home.
And with that first trip to Dad’s last week after he passed away in December, I now have vinyl children from my parents’ house, too.
While the brief thought entered about how fun it would be to get a turntable again, I’m not biting.
Things.
Items.
Collectibles.
I love them and I don’t.
I release them, and I hang on.
I tuck them away.
In the June 7th issue of Go In Joy! titled Memories Are Heavy, Girlfriend, I write about encountering an emotionally heavy box I’d thought was simply too heavy to move downstairs.
My current approach is seeing how much joy I can bring others by passing items on, and expanding joy by using treasures that enhance my life.
Like Grandma’s cozy afghan knitted an eon ago. Just right for cold nights curled up watching old movies.
How about you?
How is your relationship with items in your care? In storage?
Do they weigh you down?
Do they expand your joy? Do they contract it?
Is it time to release a few more treasures?
Is it time to use a few?
Then there’s the topic of warm and loving memories.
I have a friend who learned years ago that creating wonderful memories is well worth the effort.
After the premature death of her Dad from a medical hiccup, Kathy Dawson makes efforts to create exciting, touching memories as often as possible.
She’ll fly across the country to surprise a cousin for a birthday. She’ll throw a Mexican Fiesta for her mate.
I’m in gratitude I said yes so many times last year when Dad called for support.
Sharing time with him at his favorite restaurants, I relaxed my inner gates about food, creating joyful memories.
And what about funny memories?
Can you call some up, smiling again?
Mary, how about the time we laughed hysterically at the park?
Thank you for the memory.
May you find ways to release items, treasuring memories!
This article first appeared in the Joy on Your Shoulders weekly ezine, Go In Joy! on January 31, 2013.
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