The smart save

I have, at times, been accused of being a pack rat... While I don't have 200 pairs of shoes in my closet, and don't 'collect' anything that I can think of, I do have a hard time throwing things away. The random cable no one can remember the use for... stuffed in a box under my bed. That, along with empty cd cases, clothing that will never come back in style, and any random scrap of paper that my daughter happened to doodle on.

These things pile up and accumulate, not through conscious choice, but because somewhere in the back of my mind I have the vague suspicion that I might need them someday - and that if I throw any of it away I'll regret it... I'm aware of how ridiculous this is.

I think it's wise to say, when in doubt, give it away (or toss it) because you'll never use it- and someone else could. If you don't, it will only clutter your living - and mental - space. I do have one notable exception to this rule... I purchased a guitar over twenty years ago and it lay under my bed for ten years. And it seemed it would never be used...

But one day I picked it up. I taught myself a couple of chords, and wrote a bunch of songs. I'm not a singer - and I can't play guitar, (these are simple facts - not me being modest) but for a couple of years you just couldn't shut me up. I remember bringing my guitar into the hospital when my godmother was sick...

I'd love to say I became really good. Or joined a band. Or just kept playing for my own enjoyment. But none of those things happened... One day I didn't have so much time on my hands anymore and I just stopped. (It may also have had something to do with the fact that my romantic life was no longer miserable... ) Then one of the strings broke, and I never bothered replacing it. So my guitar went back under my bed for awhile... and that could have been the end of the story.

But it came out again about a week ago, when a friend wanted to play it.

It feels good to pick it up... Now, I'm not about to start hauling it around again, subjecting everyone to my music... But I did take it out the other night out while Jemma was taking a bath. I played for her a bit... and she liked it enough to sing along.