Feng Shui Friday: Letting Go of Sentimental Items

One of my New Year's resolutions is to spend 25 minutes each day clearing out. You can read it here.

I donated skates, cross country boots, snow boots and cleats that don't fit any of us. I recycled a ton of paper. I filled a trash bag.

Then I came across the bin named MOM.  I have been stuffing things into the MOM bin for 14 years! Never have I actually gone through it. I so wanted to just move it back to the place  that I had just vacumed.

              But I rememered my why and kept to my New Years goal.

That box took three 25 minute sessions. And I am not quite finished.

Here is what I have learned so far.

                      I don't have to be afraid of losing what we had.

The MOM box reminded me that I gave my children one heck of a fun childhood.
I don't have to keep it all. Getting rid of it doesn't negate what is true. I will always have memories in my heart and my children will too. Keeping a few is fine.
                 
                        I could have let go of the guilt way earlier  
 
 I actually saved a wedding album.  I remember stuffing it in the MOM box when I was preparing to move from the marital home to here. That was over 11 years ago. I thought my kids would want it. I remember the guilt I felt for divorcing their dad and the guilt of moving them to another state.
It has been a very long time since I felt guilt over the divorce (read that here) or the move.  Yet I vivdily remember the guilt I felt the day I tossed those albums in the MOM box. I saved a few pictures and tossed the album.

                     Having fewer sentimental items make them more special. 

After my Dad died, I received ten years of  letters I had written him.  Knowing he saved those letters was an amazing gift to me. It helped heal the pain of both losing him to death and my unresolved feelings of those ten years when I only saw my parents twice. I read them all and just saved the two most meaningful letters I sent him in those ten years. That is all I need.
           
                               Feelings have a shelf life if we feel them.

Going through the MOM box brought up so many feelings and some tears. I didn't fight any of it or judge any of it. I just let it be. I felt each feeling as it came, paid attention and each let each feeling float away.

Blessings,
Virginia

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