Trash Trash Treasure

I'm cleaning house.

Not just in the normal way (I'm not very good at that anyway)--light dusting, wiping windows, that sort of thing...No, I'm cleaning. I'm getting rid of things that should have long gone (why do I still have makeup from highschool??) and things that were wishful thinking (a pair of skinny pants that will NEVER fit.

It's a process that's full of reflection. Stuff can say a lot about you--why you keep certain things, why it's hard to let other things go. I've found it's cathartic too. It's very freeing to clean out clutter that's been weighing on you, conciously or otherwise.

There are some things that I won't let go. Move after move, we'll keep carting them along, not because they're functional, or beautiful, or monetarily valuable, but because they're strings connecting my heart to the past. I just came across a box full of cards from our wedding. I'm usually not a pack rat in this way, but for some reason (maybe because that was a hectic busy time right before a move too) I kept ALL of the cards that were given to us for our wedding. Some are just signed with a name, others have a line or two of well-wishes, and still others make my eyes water to this day because of the heartfelt message sent by our loved ones.

It's easy sometimes to get caught up in the day-to-day; in minor (or major) stresses, frustrations, and anxieties. It's been an isolating time these past 3.5 years in Germany. I can't say we've made tons of close friends--but we have made some that will last a lifetime. I'm not sure how I've grown or changed, but I know that I have.

Thank you, to all of the special people in my life who've taken time to make me feel special. I'm thinking about you today and hope somehow you can tell.