closet cleaning
Today I decided to work on cleaning out my mom and dad's front hall closet. It needs done. If I'm ever going to get stuff from next door assimilated into this house for us I need to clean out their old stuff. But it is painful. Why is life so painful? If you love, you feel loss. When you throw out things that belonged to a loved one it feels almost like you are losing them all over again. I know logically dad is gone - he has no need for these things - but still...
I am throwing out old musty coats and sweaters. As I work towards the right side of the closet is it like an archaeological dig. Ancient history there - I am remembering mom and dad in the coats they wore when I was a kid. Some are even from before my time - the 30's and 40's. They never threw anything away. Dad had so many burgundy sweaters - I never knew he had so many - yes, I saw him in a burgundy sweater but I thought he had just one - he was wearing 4 different ones. Dad had a liking for white windbreakers too - there are 3. I can see dad in front of me wearing a gray sweater that was his favorite. He wore it with a tie to go to the Elk's club for lunch and cards. It seems most of mom's coats have a pair of thin cotton gloves in the pocket - some have an old stick of leaky juicyfruit or doublemint gum, or a wrapped piece of candy, a clear plastic rain cap that folds up like an accordion, maybe a little handwritten note, one had a cookie given out perhaps at a child's Christmas program, all of them have kleenex. Dad had his 2 bathrobes in this closet too - because the front room used to be his bedroom at the very end. I can't throw them away. They are going to stay there for a while longer as spiritual guardians of the house.
Well, must get back to work...
I am throwing out old musty coats and sweaters. As I work towards the right side of the closet is it like an archaeological dig. Ancient history there - I am remembering mom and dad in the coats they wore when I was a kid. Some are even from before my time - the 30's and 40's. They never threw anything away. Dad had so many burgundy sweaters - I never knew he had so many - yes, I saw him in a burgundy sweater but I thought he had just one - he was wearing 4 different ones. Dad had a liking for white windbreakers too - there are 3. I can see dad in front of me wearing a gray sweater that was his favorite. He wore it with a tie to go to the Elk's club for lunch and cards. It seems most of mom's coats have a pair of thin cotton gloves in the pocket - some have an old stick of leaky juicyfruit or doublemint gum, or a wrapped piece of candy, a clear plastic rain cap that folds up like an accordion, maybe a little handwritten note, one had a cookie given out perhaps at a child's Christmas program, all of them have kleenex. Dad had his 2 bathrobes in this closet too - because the front room used to be his bedroom at the very end. I can't throw them away. They are going to stay there for a while longer as spiritual guardians of the house.
Well, must get back to work...