In This Moment...

A few years ago, it was a really rough time for my family. We lost my mother, great uncle and great aunt (brother & sister). There was also a dearly beloved family pet that had to be put to sleep. While the deaths were all very sad, nothing compares to the ongoing stress of dealing with the possessions that are inevitably left behind. My sister is dealing with our mother's estate. The process is much more in-depth and emotional for her since she was there and completely involved at the time. I live in another state and I was involved with the great aunt & uncle. They were older and so sickness that is fatal isn't as shocking. They were raised during the Great Depression... I am sure I don't need to elaborate much more about their living styles after stating that.

I have volunteered to help the family clear out the estate. There have been TWO estate sales and we are planning more. There was a packed garage, two sheds in the back and oh yeah, ANOTHER HOUSE! I must say that this is completely overwhelming. I really only got fully invested in this project after the first estate sale happened and yet there was still so much leftover. There are piles of books, multiple sets of dishes, several VCRs and so much more! It is several lifetimes worth of stuff. Right now I am sitting in the dining room that has 3 tables in it covered in glassware and knick knacks.

Maybe this is part of the reason why I keep striving, no matter what, to make my life more simplified. I don't want to ever leave this kind of legacy for my loved ones. I would rather people focus on the good memories rather than the turmoil of dividing and disposing of possessions. Time to get back to work...