In a big way.....goodness! We had a "30-yard" dumpster loaded into the driveway on Monday and we were brave -- and strong enough -- to fill it during the last few days. Actually, filling it to overflowing! Everything into the dumpster is that one less string holding us to land, so we are that much lighter and thus....will be free and able to head off to cruise later.
But... nostalgia reigned today as I looked at Ally's old kindergarten art projects, 3rd grade poems, 5th grade "graduation" photos...I felt like I threw out her entire childhood memorabilia. Despite a few tears shed, I thought of the young woman that Ally's become...and am SO proud of...so it was easier to let the little girl go. Really, the childish things can be put in the past. And...thankfully, Ally herself reassured me she didn't need all the dreck and papers of school days left behind. While I allowed myself a little time to reminisce, I was also able to just LET GO. Who knew it would be so hard, yet feel so liberating??
A classic 5th grade Park School May Day photo: Ally (at left), who raced
up at the last second to be included in the photo with all her male
classmates. A mother of one of the boys enjoyed how Ally darted in at
the last second, grinning away happily as usual, and sent me the photo.
When the strong backs came this morning, and started hauling everything out... I just went upstairs. I didn't want to see it going out or I knew I would find myself clutching items to retain the physical evidence of years gone past and wanting to store them away out of sheer emotion. Stuff from college, stuff from the early days of our marriage, stuff from Ally's infancy....just STUFF! Now, though....the basement is empty and I don' t even remember what I was so nostaglic about. The rooms are gloriously large and lovely....and, best of all, I still retain the memories -- they haven't been stripped from me. Why did I worry otherwise??
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