I have been spending a lot of time simplifying my life lately. This means cleaning out drawers, closets, bookshelves, rooms...getting rid of things that I don't need. I have FOREVER been a collector of all kinds of STUFF. Recently, though, I have decided that it's time to downsize, minimize, make my life easier, simpler...less... Local non-profit agencies have been reaping the benefits of my downsizing.
It's very easy to get sentimental about many of the things I am letting go. We moved into this house on Valentine's Day, 2001. Lots of memories, memorabilia, photographs have piled up here along with boxes and bins and bags of "things." So much to sort through! Of course I am saving essentials - special baby clothes, important books, photos...I haven't totally lost my mind...I might even keep my wedding dress...I haven't decided yet. I did find a place to save the favors from our senior prom - wine glasses with "Here Comes the Sun" printed on them - yes, that was the theme of our prom. Why would I keep those and not the wedding dress? Less space? Like I said, I haven't decided on the wedding dress, yet.
The title of this blog will be changing in the near future. It will go from "Tales from an (Almost) Empty Nest" to "Tales from an Empty Nest." As the very last chick makes her way from the nest, I am trying to encourage her take whatever she wants...PLEASE! Of course she will take her things, but I don't think she wants any of my junk - even the the "good" stuff. Oh well, it was worth a try. So, there will be more sorting, stacking, boxing and donating.
I'll bet you are still wondering about the title and photo of this particular blog post - "Roller Skates." Well, here's the story. I turned 40 years old in this house a little over a year after we moved in. It was a great party. On that day, the doorbell rang several times and each time another one of my cousins from Texas or Oregon appeared. It was so overwhelming and WONDERFUL! Of course there were funny gifts like a big purple sun hat, a house dress, Polygrip and a denture cup...there were also flowers and other lovely gifts.
A significant gift came from my eldest daughter, jb. 10 years ago, the shoe company, Skechers had come out with a line of roller skates and I REALLY wanted a pair. In-line skates were all the rage at the time, but I wanted regular roller skates that I could wear and use. These were sneakers with red wheels on them! They had the toe stops and safety features and white shoe laces...I was in love! As I began to put them on, my daughter was HORRIFIED! "MOM...NO! These are a symbol of your YOUTH! You aren't supposed to USE them! They are a SYMBOL!" Are you kidding me?! I had been coveting these skates for months...I really did want them. So I put them them on and my family watched nervously as Ron helped me wobble down the driveway and onto the street. He let me go and off I went....Here is the photographic evidence that this event really occurred...
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There is clearly a big smile on my face...it was exhilarating and fun, freeing and ABSOLUTELY FRIGHTENING! I did NOT fall down and hurt myself. And once I took the skates off that day, I NEVER put them on again. Since that day, they had been in the garage living in the bin with volley balls, softballs and other sports equipment that the girls used and I did not. Someone else owns them now, I hope! Someone who can zip around sidewalks and streets with confidence and skill. They were beautiful and for a few moments, gave me a thrill. But the bottom line, they were just a symbol of my youth...10 years later at 50 it was pretty easy to let them go.
