I don’t know why I have always had such a hard time letting go of stuff, but I have. Chalk it up to fear, I guess: fear of abandonment, of change, of never knowing which end was up and wanting something to cling to in the storm.
The good news? The dumping gets easier with time. It definitely gets easier when you’ve gone four or five rounds of being the final dumping ground for ancestral artifacts. Enough, already; I may not want to be able to move everything in my car again, but I’d like to be able to move freely about the apartment.
Today I took four bags of books to my favorite used book store, the Iliad, in its ‘new’ digs in North Hollywood. Amazingly, I took my trade chit and got the hell out without buying one book. I do still have another two-and-a-half bags to dispense, but The BF told me about his favorite used book store in Glendale, so maybe I’ll try that next.
What I always find remarkable when I am able to let go of things is how it instantly creates room for other things to flow in. Not that I’m in a rush to fill empty space, I like empty space now, I don’t fear it, but as I unload old books and clothes and movies that no longer serve, the things I am looking for appear as easily and gracefully as if a paid factotum had spirited them there.
Like two jackets, a suit, a shirt to go under them and a crazy, “And then there’s Maude” burgundy coat to throw on top. I am going to be one styling motherfucker come fall. One styling motherfucker with a lot less crap to worry about.
And at least as much to look forward to…
xxx
c
Photo of man in a suit in a bookstore (!!!) by idiotkings via Flickr, used under a Creative Commons license. And no, that ain’t North Hollywood…it’s in the Netherlands.
Isn’t the Illiad a great store? I’ve managed to get every John D. Macdonald out of print paperback ever published from them over the last 2 years. They get first crack at my used books, and the Burbank library gets what the Illiad doesn’t want, to lend or properly recycle.
whoa whoa whoa… the bf’s favorite used bookstore happens to be in bloomington IN (caveot emptor) and my second favorite used bookstore is in berkeley… the glendale place (Brand Brooks) I like because they were nice to my parents a few years ago, but I wouldn’t say it’s my FAVORITE place…I’d say it’s my closest place (sp?)
Hello Colleen,
I know this is not the appropriate place to comment on this, but I wanted you to see this. I also have Crohn’s Disease, and had a resection in april. I run a forum for peope who are affected by Crohn’s, Ulcerative Colitis or any form of Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD). We share information, support and some fun. I would love it if you checked it out at http://www.crohnsforum.com
I really hope I get to see you there soon.
Take care,
Michael
I don’t know why I have always had such a hard time letting go of stuff, but I have.
Ooh! I know! I know!
One word: VIRGO.
Gary – YES!!! And even better since the move. While I loved the couchy coziness of the old place, it was so laden with cat hair, I needed a hazmat suit to browse longer than 15 minutes. The new place is sooooo clean, and has wooden floors throughout. (Didn’t the old place have some carpeting, or am I bonkers?)
BF – I stand corrected. As usual. (Hmph. And I’m the virgo?)
Michael – I’m emailing you separately on this, but I saw that your forum is kind of pro-CCFA, which I’m pretty vehemently anti, being pro-SCD. I’m happy if any IBD people find support and something that works for them, but I can’t get down with big pharma anymore, nor the folks in bed with them.
Bon – You know, you know? And *I’m* the virgo. Sigh…
Good for you!! I’m the other way around. If I haven’t used something, or at least admired it, in 6 months, I get rid of it.
There have been a few times where I have come to regret letting go of something I maybe should have held onto…but only a few. It’s also the reason I’m always one pair short of dress pants. I visit Goodwill way too often!!