My friend Tom has a wooden canoe he built over 20 years ago.  It hangs magnificently from his garage ceiling where it’s been for many years.  He also had a boat which, despite being meticulously crafted from mahogany, he sold for much less than I’d expected.  “No one wants this stuff anymore,” he said.

He’s right.  My sons and their friends only want things that they use regularly, and that they can easily store in their small homes.  Photos of great, great grandparents?  That’s nice, but no thanks.  Family heirloom furniture?  There’s nowhere to keep it.

It occurs to me that while I purchase things TO LAST, my sons purchase things expecting they will serve their purpose and then be replaced.  A phone, a surfboard, a truck, hiking boots.  Even most new clothing and furniture is designed to be trendy and temporary.

What does this mean to me? I actually think my sons are right.  I’m using this COVID time to get rid of stuff – stuff I never really needed and perhaps didn’t want.  I’ve been giving shipping heirlooms to my sisters.  They’ll keep them awhile before coming to terms that their kids don’t want them either.  My conclusion: the stories about how getting rid of stuff frees your mind?  It’s true!