EVERY time I open my eyes in the morning, I am greeted by a myriad of objects that I promised myself to dispose of. But every time I try, I cannot bring myself to do it.
Every object present in my room seems to have a connection with the past; a memoir of the yesteryears. More than anything that I consider is the sentimental value attached to every object I have. But I came to realize these objects that occupy most of the space in my room are just physical manifestations and their importance is already embedded in my heart.
I also keep on reminding myself that memories, no matter how good they are, will always remain as memories. And yet, it is not easy to let go.
The moment I pick a certain object all I do is to transfer it to another shelf. So instead of letting go, it is more of rearranging the things around the corners of my room.
There is that sense of stubbornness to cling to things, which is consoling to the senses or to the appetite. As a result, there is a tendency to pile up unnecessary baggage, physically and emotionally, as each object reminds me of a particular event that happened before.
Take, for example, a shirt.
Even if I had a dozen shirts in my closet, I take special care of this certain shirt because it was given to me by a special person. Another is a stuffed toy, which was a gift I received on my 10th birthday. There’s also a pillow that had been once an elementary-school project.
But what I consider as a memorable object could serve another purpose for another person.
This shirt I had kept for several years and now does not even fit me could serve a practical purpose for someone who had lost all his possessions during a disaster. An old pillow lying at the corner of my couch could ease the discomfort of someone sleeping on a wooden bed. A stuffed toy at the top shelf could console a child when he or she is not well or when frightened. What I consider a depository of memories could surely ease the burden of life’s struggles for others.
And perhaps, in the process of sharing, I could be healed of the bad memories that I had gone through in the past. For as we all know, not all of the memories that we have are that good. Some of them are not that pleasant.
It’s as if the clutter inside my room are symbolic to the clutter that I feel inside. And so I must free myself from the chains of the past and look ahead to a clutter-free self as I continue with my journey in life.
Perhaps, this time, I must do something different.
It’s time to stop rearranging the pieces that I held for so long. It is time to completely let go of the baggage that I have been unconsciously carrying all this time.
You never change anything in your life until you step out of your comfort zone.
So tonight would be different: I will place everything I need to let go in a box. I would place the box outside my room so that the moment I close the door, I am a step ahead on freeing myself from the mess I had once been.
And tomorrow, I will wake up with a cleaner room and a lighter heart—free from the clutter I once held.
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Frances Kate Lagatic is a Medical Records Reviewer Specialist for e-Data Services Philippines Inc. The views expressed by Lagatic in this edited column do not necessarily reflect those of the BusinessMirror’s.
