Sentimental

I hadn't really ever thought that I was very sentimental. Until it was pointed out to me. Recently.

Delicious. 

I'll admit to being a traditionalist. As, over Christmas break I made all my cookies using my grandmas cookie cutters and my aunts cookie recipe. Same cookies for pretty much my whole life. Prepared the same Christmas Eve dinner I've had for the last 30+ years. Ham, corn, Christmas Eve potatoes (yes, you can have the recipe) and rolls. I know there were some other dinner menus when I was really little but I have no memory of them. This is what I remember. This is what I eat.

Once I do the same thing a couple times, I just keep on doing it. Christmas Eve dinner for instance. It's locked in.  And, no, I'm not interested in changing. Why would I? It works.

But holiday traditions don't necessarily mean I'm a sentimental sap. I mean, I'm pretty tough. I'm not all squishy. Well, at least I didn't think so.

Until I started cleaning out a closet. I have a storage closet in the house. It's where a lot of stuff ends up. It's big. Almost as big as a bedroom. It has a lot of shelves. Full of stuff. For a couple years I've referred to it as a craft closet. It had scrapbooking stuff, perler beads, painting projects, etc. I needed to clean it out. Like a lot. It was stressing me out. Having all that stuff. So, I started going through it all. Bins. And bins and bins. Turns out it wasn't all craft stuff. Some of it, a lot of it, is mementos. Little notes, kid art, movie tickets.

I called in help. My organizer friend. She's helpful plus addicted to label making. And, ruthless. If it doesn't have a purpose or bring you joy, it's out. Quick decisions. Felt so good to make progress. She laughed at some of the stuff I had held onto for years and years. Then she came upon a prom picture. Framed. She raised her eyebrows and said, "you gonna put this up somewhere?"

Yes. I still have the dress.

Well, no. It's just been framed for 20+ years... I took the picture out and put it in a folder of pictures to keep, the frame is gone. Kept sorting through things. Wondered aloud about why I had kept movie tickets for 20, 25 years. For movies I don't even love or remember. Before she left she remarked that she was surprised at how sentimental I am. I hadn't really thought about it. I just keep stuff. It was easy to get rid of and clear out so much... I'd really like her to help me again with some more...

But, then she'll see that not only did I keep the prom picture framed for 23 years, she'll see that I have all the corsages from proms, Snoballs and fraternity formals.

In another bin. In another room.

Oh, and the dresses themselves... also in a bin. In the basement.

Sentimental. With a tendency toward sap.

Damn.