Let It Go

“Discard anything that doesn’t spark joy.” I read about Marie Kondo's approach to decluttering one's home a few weeks ago, and at first glance, I didn't take it seriously. Yet I've applied her touch-system to identifying objects that I don't need many times since then. "The moment you touch it, you know the answer," she writes, so that is what I've been doing in my efforts to donate baby gear and clothes for our day care center Kids' Stuff Sale this weekend. 

I've been great about passing clothing and toys on to cousins or friends, even my favorite items. But a little over a year ago, I reached for our Kelty backpack, the one that held each of the boys, starting with the biggest one, and the thought of donating it made me ache. This object didn't spark joy when I touched it, but it was electric with memories. I felt the weight of my first-born on my back as I carried him to our apartment laundry room, to take out the trash, and on our countless walks around the neighborhood to watch the street lights glow just after dark. I was back on the beach with my middle, the one where we had to hike a mile down the trail to see the water. Then there was the vision of our youngest on his dad's back looking over his shoulder to watch him do home repairs with the drill. 

"If we acknowledge our attachment to the past and our fears for the future by honestly looking at our possessions, we will be able to see what is really important to us." Today, I picked up the backpack again, and I knew it was time for it to go. The memories, still so alive, are safe and sound, and that is what sparks joy for me today.