Moving

 My sons neighbor has had her home for sale. The sign is gone now so perhaps it has been sold. Not being one to pry I haven't asked. But yesterday I noticed some items put out for the trash man. Among them is a Santa Claus about four foot tall. I noticed him peeking around the side of the trash can. Another glance showed some other Christmas decorations being discarded as well. There were other boxes of stuff that looked old. It sure looks like she is either cleaning out or moving out. Those are the two scenarios that result in that sort of thing. You know, throwing out Christmas decorations and other stuff that accumulates over the years. It's that stuff that you hesitate before discarding for reasons that are hard to understand. Sometimes it is a sentimental attachment, at others it is the excuse, I may need that again. Whatever the case is we rationalize holding onto that stuff until something happens. In this case it may be moving. Other times the mood just strikes us, we decide to clean out! Decluttering and minimizing. We talk about it a lot more than we do it, kinda like sex. But every once and a while the mood hits and things get done. 

 I have gotten rid of stuff over the years, sentimental stuff. It is always a difficult process for me to go through. I could become a hoarder, given the chance. I do tend to hold onto to things way beyond their usefulness. I don't know how many transformers I have. You know the kind that come with your cell phone or electric devices. I keep putting them away, might need it. I can get rid of those anytime I want to. I'm just holding onto to them for now. But the sentimental things like decorations or stuff the kids made are a different thing. I have to be almost mad to get rid of those. It's an emotional thing. I hear myself saying, throw it out, it's all faded and worn. What are you saving that old thing for? Just throw it away, you haven't even used it in years. I'm certain you know the conversation. Yes, it's a whole thing.

 Anyway, I saw Santa peeking out from behind the trash can and I felt a tinge of sorrow. Christmas is being discarded. I was even tempted to go over there and grab him up. Doesn't seem right to have Santa just standing on the street. But it was more than that, it stirred emotions in me. A sense of sadness. I'm certain Miss Molly, that's the neighbor, doesn't feel that way. I imagine she is feeling excited about the move, well if she did sell her home. That's what it usually takes for me, a greater excitement than the one given by the object in question. In that situation the idea of moving to a new home and making new memories outweighs the old! It must for that Santa Claus decoration anyway. I have an idea why she is doing that. There are reasons I can understand. 

 I feel the same whenever I see things like that happening. When you ride by a home and see Christmas decorations, old pictures, and personal items sitting on the curb as trash. I always wonder why. What has happened to cause this? Are the people just cleaning out, are they moving? And then I think perhaps someone has passed away. Am I seeing an end? Is that what is going to happen to my stuff? Sadly the answer is yes. In the end all of our stuff will be disposed of in some way. We all pray that it is preserved, treasured, and kept by someone. The thing is only the stuff with monetary or sentimental value will be saved. The rest, is out the door! I have some old photographs like that. I know they came from Great Grandfathers house but I don't know who is in the picture. I save them, preserve them as sentimental objects. The truth is they are not sentimental to me just a curiosity. A rather sad fate for a photograph I think. A moment captured turned into a curiosity. Is the moment still captured? No I guess it isn't, the moment has escaped and we are left to wonder. It's rather like that Santa, the magic in him is gone now. Time to move on. Geez, all this because the neighbor is throwing out Christmas decorations. Guess I'm getting sentimental in my old age.