Everything Must Go

So a virtual parade of my former belongings have left the building. Aside from a few items that remain to be sorted, some other souls will scroll through the pages of most of my well-loved books, a treasure trove of barely used handbags will sway on the arms of people who do not happen to be me - and the shoes and boots? Well, they might land anywhere really - trotting to the base of the Himalayas, traversing the Great Wall, shuffling through downtown Sooke - it is really anybody's guess. I am not suggesting we were hoarders, but the weight of the boxes and bags and other goodies that were taken away has left an emptiness that feels almost like freedom. I now find myself eyeing anything and everything that remains and wondering if perhaps we can take this further - who needs pots and pans anyway? The mind boggles with the possibilities. My nephew Liam and his partner Amber got well-acquainted with our stairs, volunteering to deposit items in their final resting place. All of the odd jobs, in my Dad's able hands, are getting knocked off the to-do list one by one, while my Mom wrestles screens from their moorings - a whirling dervish with a Windex bottle - valiantly and tirelessly doing everything they can to help. Of all of my many moves - this one feels different - like we are finally facing up to what we value and in the process knowing some strangers out there may have a need that we can fill. It is all rather invigorating really - pushing me past what I've lost to what may be acquired treasure to somebody else - coming full circle to a new place other than our own that feels like home.