I miss TV.
Now, that's not to say that we haven't watched literally any TV since Halloween. As with any healthy diet, it's a life style change and we needed to be realistic with what we were trying to accomplish. The point of our #NoTVNovember efforts was to stop binging relentlessly. We've watched our #Bills games and a movie on a Friday night... but mostly, we've been listening to music (Hamilton!) and going through endless boxes after our hot water tank broke and flooded part of our basement. We've essentially replaced TV watching with reminiscing, sorting, and donating.
As anticipated, finally going through our (our should I say, my...) clutter has been nostalgic and therapeutic. There is a sense of accomplishment with each box we go through, saving only the things we cherish, and parting ways with everything else. We've donated a carload to charity.
I think I'm going to do any entire post surrounding a few of my thoughts on decluttering, as it's a practice I am not good at and I think writing about it could help me form some better habits.
I have always attached sentimental value to everything... even things that don't deserve it.
Up until this stretch of time, I still have everything. Like, everything. I'm talking permission slips from the 7th grade camping trip type of everything.
That old Maryvale modified wrestling shirt that reminds me of when I wasn't good enough to make the basketball team and discovered a sport that I really enjoyed. My 5th grade New York State project, the first time I completed school work on our first family computer. Those posters from the musicals with the casts' signatures, each name and note a reminder of old friendships, inside jokes, high school romances, and countless hours of hard work building toward something special. My old Five Star trapper keeper from middle school that was far too big to carry at my side, but it wasn't cool to hold books in front of you as you uncomfortably navigated the 3 minutes between classes for the first time. I even have the folder that I used to store all of my childhood drawings and writings in, and gosh did I love to do both.
Each item takes me back to a certain place, time and feeling.
... but if all of those items go away... will I lose the trigger to those memories and feelings?