A quote from Ladies of Letters - Vera writes: Dear Irene, "I'm not one to over-dramatize as you know; but sitting surrounded by the debris of my life I feel this is the end of it." I found the children's toys, a one eared teddy, a rabbit, a monkey abandoned under the stairs......as she sobbed with grief cleaning out her home where her children grew up.....
We have one car load left of our own debris to be dropped off at the nearest donation center. The last of our treasures and memories that we just were not able to sell or find a home for but has loads of sentimental memories for us. Family heirlooms that we just cannot take with us and need to let go of and move forward.
This seems to be the area that most people struggle with when they hear about our journey. I have had many ask me, how did you feel? Or say, I wouldn't be able to let go of my families things. I certainly understand completely because this is not anything I ever planned as I was putting my home together with all my precious treasures handed down to me. How did I feel? Sad of course and it triggered grief especially if it was my dads since he passed away nearly 30 years ago.
Most of the time I did this alone so I could process my own feelings. One particular day we needed to make more room in our car so I went with my husband who could see the pain in my face. That was a difficult day but not impossible. Grief comes even when you are not giving away your family heirlooms. I explained to him that it just triggers the grief which I have to process as it comes. A walk on the beach can trigger my grief when I think about someone but I don't stop walking on the beach. It brings me more joy than grief but I am aware that it may also make me think of loss. That sense of loss or grief will not be contained if I don't ever let go of things - it comes, quite naturally when and where I least expect.
This has made me very much aware of my grief and embracing it each time I find it difficult to release something from the past. The joy of not being surrounded by the debris of my life is actually more liberating and less time consuming. It's not for everyone and especially those who have just lost someone close to them because the grief is too raw. Timing is everything and it just happens to be the right time in my own life to let go......of my own sentimental and treasured debris!
We have one car load left of our own debris to be dropped off at the nearest donation center. The last of our treasures and memories that we just were not able to sell or find a home for but has loads of sentimental memories for us. Family heirlooms that we just cannot take with us and need to let go of and move forward.
This seems to be the area that most people struggle with when they hear about our journey. I have had many ask me, how did you feel? Or say, I wouldn't be able to let go of my families things. I certainly understand completely because this is not anything I ever planned as I was putting my home together with all my precious treasures handed down to me. How did I feel? Sad of course and it triggered grief especially if it was my dads since he passed away nearly 30 years ago.
Most of the time I did this alone so I could process my own feelings. One particular day we needed to make more room in our car so I went with my husband who could see the pain in my face. That was a difficult day but not impossible. Grief comes even when you are not giving away your family heirlooms. I explained to him that it just triggers the grief which I have to process as it comes. A walk on the beach can trigger my grief when I think about someone but I don't stop walking on the beach. It brings me more joy than grief but I am aware that it may also make me think of loss. That sense of loss or grief will not be contained if I don't ever let go of things - it comes, quite naturally when and where I least expect.
This has made me very much aware of my grief and embracing it each time I find it difficult to release something from the past. The joy of not being surrounded by the debris of my life is actually more liberating and less time consuming. It's not for everyone and especially those who have just lost someone close to them because the grief is too raw. Timing is everything and it just happens to be the right time in my own life to let go......of my own sentimental and treasured debris!
It’s just stuff
