Back in 1995-97, I fell on hard times (long story!) and ended up having to declare bankruptcy-- first for a business I owned, then on a personal level.
Not only was "being down and out" not much fun, but the whole bankruptcy process also required extensive record keeping... and for the business, it involved filing long financial reports for a number of years.
The Stuff We Have to Keep
Poppies in the sun
Then, of course, followed the legal requirements to keep all the boxes of paperwork for years and years, "just in case" something would come up, and something in the case would need to be reviewed and re-examined by the court.
For years-- and through several moves-- I dragged several large plastic "filing bins" around with me, filled with all the old documentation from the bankruptcies. I was always afraid to throw anything away, you know, just in case that "just in THIS case exception" would suddenly show up... and I would have to prove that certain things happened, even after the statute of limitations had run its course.
This morning, I stubbed my toe on one of the bins while trying to find something in the closet... and concluded that I really don't need to hang on to those old papers anymore. There is no legal reason to and besides... I realized that I have also been hanging on to the "memories of ruin and failure" they represent. After all, it has been over 20 years, and all the assets have been sold and the legal filings completed.
Creative Re-use... and a Sense of Weights Lifting
Pink wild rose
Rather than just throw everything away (or burn it, as I was tempted to), I instead started cutting the sheets of paper into quarters, so I could use the blank backsides as "scratch paper."
I use lots and lots of small pieces of scrap paper to jot down ideas for blog posts and articles, and there's something oddly rewarding about all that "depressing" paper now being used for creativity, with the ultimate intent of creating income.
It feels good to finally let go of this piece of the past! Whereas I realize it is little more than a psychological illusion, I definitely felt "lighter" as I started to cut up all those papers...
How about YOU? Are there any "remnants of the past" you have been hauling around, well past their "useful life" or "legally required" date? Are their things in your attic or basement that have been there for a long time, but you just have never "gotten around to" throwing away? Is there some reason you are still hanging onto them? Would you feel relieved if they were gone from your life and you no longer had to deal with them? Do some of the things in your life feel like "weights," even if they are just ideas, rather than physical things? Leave a comment-- share your experiences and feedback-- be part of the conversation!
(As usual, all text and images by the author, unless otherwise credited. This is original content, created expressly for Steemit)
Published 20170920 17:35 PDT