Monday 30 January 2012

What lies beneath...


…the TV is an interesting story of two individuals slowing merging their lives.
This weekend I continued the De-clutter campaign with the TV consul.  I am sad to report I didn’t remove much of the contents.  In fact, I just rearranged it a bit.  Missing the point a bit.  But it is easier to bear looking at, so I am counting it a success. 
I discovered we have a store of five random USB cords, some without mates.  I also found two Ethernet cords, some scart leads and random plug adapters.  These were all neatly coiled and stashed away, just-in-case.
Hmmm

Then there were the VHS, DVDs and CDs.  The VHS are off to the donating/recycling bin.  The CDs and DVDs were not so easy to dislodge.  The DVDs aren’t going anywhere.  I have a weakness for movies, good and bad.  The CDs we don’t use, but we are not sold on having a completely digital collection.  Pete works with computers all day and he, along with most computer-saavy persons, do not trust the things as far as they can be thrown.  I feel this way about our photos.  I love going through my family’s collection of photos and would love to have the same ability when I am older.  There is something about the tangibility of photographs that just can’t be translated when viewing images on a screen.  Despite this I yet to print out our favourites due to space.  It’s a vicious circle isn’t it?
So, the CDs and DVDs are staying.  I had hoped to stack them a bit more efficiently, but our IKEA furniture failed us.  For the first time.  Usually IKEA is on the ball with these types of things, ensuring their pieces can multi-task, but here they have failed.  The DVDs only fit lying down.  Bugger.
More interestingly, while I placed each CD and DVD back into the consul, I noticed something.  Our individual ownership over particular items is obvious.  Also obvious are the particular items that are most definitely jointly-owned.  These items seem to be increasing in number and use while the historic items get softer and softer in their literal dust jackets. 
Not so long ago this particular observation would have sparked a bit of a downward spiral.  I would have been scared I was losing myself in my relationship.  Worried I was quickly becoming one of those Smug Marrieds.  Everything becoming ‘we’ instead of ‘me.’ 
I have.  I am.  I have no shame. 
Anymore.
Despite my frequent lamentations here, my life is fabulous.  That’s not bragging.  I love my life, our life. 
I love it because I am part of a ‘we.’ 
Don’t get me wrong, I love my CDs.  They stir something in me.  Memories I treasure of earlier versions of me. 
I love our CDs more.  Let’s face it, they are just better.  But they are also a sign of growth. 
Thank goodness I am not the same person I was 10 years ago.  Thank goodness I can change and grow. 
I previously felt fear and despair over change and growth.  I still do, occasionally. 
However, more frequently, I am curious and perhaps a little bit excited about the person I am continually becoming. 

What lies beneath…
That’s all a little bit too heavy for an hour of de-cluttering, but every item in the house has a mental aspect.  In order to materially de-clutter I have to mentally de-clutter as well.

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