"...we are tethered to life stories through things."

first, play this. it's my current song of obsession.

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in a moment of bother, i asked facebook: why is it so difficult to let go of possessions?

my friend sheri replied: It's hard for us too... in some way we are tethered to life stories through things. It's scary to rely only on memory for connection.

you see, i have a horrible memory about most things in life, and a laser sharp memory about the rest. my lifetime of collected artifacts help me put together a story: the story of my life. how is it then that i should part from those things that help me understand where i've come from? we can't be clear about where we're headed if we aren't clear about where we've come from. what if parting with all of the artifacts leaves me unclear about the lifetime of memories i've experienced?

or, is it possible that in saying goodbye, i can walk forward with that much more clarity? 

it's so glaring that this season of life is coming to an end. i feel it like an abrupt winter chill that penetrates deep into my bones. and these days, i feel it especially when i'm sifting through all of my possessions. 

i realized tonight that my heart is pained to part with my stuff because all those possessions are extensions of the people who have made me, me. people who i love & cherish. they are the characters in my life story. that's why getting rid of my stuff hurts.

my dear friend spoke a wisdom from her own experience of letting go of everything: even though you say goodbye to certain things, the stories will forever stay with you. 

perhaps because people are unforgettable...they are forever.