Sunday, May 20, 2012

All That You Can't Leave Behind

When you're a cross between a sentimental sap and a hoarder, what do you leave behind and what do you bring with you when moving to a new home?

Positive pregnancy tests from the bathroom drawer?  Take.

Rabbit's foot a friend gave me for good luck when flying?  Leave.

Notebooks from law school containing meticulous outlines?  Trash, except for one to show my sons when they are older and don't believe that anyone ever hand wrote anything, or studied that hard for an exam.

Photographs?  Take every single one.

Birthday and wedding and anniversary and baby congrats cards?  Take them all.

My husband's grafitti on the inside of our coat closet, saying, "I GOT THE POPS!" (as in Pops Water Ice, in South Philly, which I ate almost exclusively during the summer of my first pregnancy).  Left the grafitti; thought it added some urban flavor to the condo.

"Sexiest Man Alive" special of People Mag with Bradley Cooper on the cover?  Fished it off the 20 foot high nook in our living room which it landed on when my husband grabbed it out of my hands and tossed it up there in a jealous rage.

Book of printouts of the first emails my husband and I ever exchanged?  Took it, of course.

Pee stain on my bedroom carpet from my 3 year old's defiant act while in timeout? (I heard the sound of a diaper ripping off and threw open the bedroom door to find him without a stitch of clothing.  "What are you doing?"  "I'm peeing on your floor.")  Cleaned it up, sure, but that memory remains on the floor.

Clothes that I was wearing on 9/11/01?  Took.

Notes from middle and high school friends?  Took them.

Pee-stained bathroom mat?  (You know who).  Trashed it.

Red cowboy boots that I wore when I was 6 years old?  Took them.

Snoopy that I've had since I was 1 year old?  Took him.

Wrist bands that my babies wore in the hospital after they were born?  Took them.

Waffle iron?  Left.

Dumb bells that are just an accident waiting to happen?  Left them.

Stink bug?  Left it.

Good karma? Took it.

Pain and suffering and grief?  Left them.

Laughter and joy and gratitude?  Took them.

Memories of a home filled with love?  Took each one.

My best guy?  Took him.

My son and his 5,000 cars, trucks, trains, planes, and snacks?  Took every one.  

My baby and his belly laughs and his newly discovered voice saying, "a-Da, Da, Da"?  Took him.

A new direction?  Took it.

A new road?  Took it.

A new home?  Just a reminder of all that you can't leave behind.


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