A visit with my mother
As most of you know, my mother died a bit more than a year and a half ago. Since then, slowly (if not surely), I've been weeding her paperwork and out-of-date reference books (college guides and phone books).
As I unearthed her (downstairs) desk and the stacks of paper on the floor beneath it, I was struck how much I am my mother's child - and not always in the best ways.
The sheets of mostly used mailing labels, with one strip of unprinted labels left at the bottom...
The multiple copies of different stages of drafts of writing, stacked but not recycled...
The records of clients who she helped into college, and who have gone through and out again long since - and left over mailing lists never used, equally out of date...
Blank forms for potential college financial aid applicants - for 1999/2000, 2000/2001, 2001/2002...
Three staplers.
On the desk.
In the back of my mind, I hear her explaining why they are all there... it's perfectly rational - but wrong.
*****
I think I will print out a copy or two of this, just in case...
As I unearthed her (downstairs) desk and the stacks of paper on the floor beneath it, I was struck how much I am my mother's child - and not always in the best ways.
The sheets of mostly used mailing labels, with one strip of unprinted labels left at the bottom...
The multiple copies of different stages of drafts of writing, stacked but not recycled...
The records of clients who she helped into college, and who have gone through and out again long since - and left over mailing lists never used, equally out of date...
Blank forms for potential college financial aid applicants - for 1999/2000, 2000/2001, 2001/2002...
Three staplers.
On the desk.
In the back of my mind, I hear her explaining why they are all there... it's perfectly rational - but wrong.
*****
I think I will print out a copy or two of this, just in case...