I am the archeologist of my past

“I have a habit of being an archeologist of my own past, a sentimental collector of personal artifacts which may at first glance appear random, but each of which holds a unique significance. As the years pass by, I find that the number of objects within my possession begins to accumulate. A torn map. A sealed letter. A boat full of paper animals. Each item encapsulates within itself a story, akin to an outward manifestation of my inner journey.”

― Agnes Chew,

Over the weekend I tried to get caught up on housework. Between a busy summer and being sick, my house looked like a hurricane or two went through and destroyed everything in its path. In the words of my mother, I've got alotta stuff and it drives my husband crazy. I wouldn't say that I'm a hoarder, but you know how that saying goes- "denial is the first step to admitting that you have a problem?"

It seems as time goes by and new chapters in life open, a person gets a little "lost" trying to navigate through life. We don't have a Table of Contents to provide information about what we should anticipate or the moments that we should cherish a little more. We have no Chapter titles providing a glimpse of what's happening next. Day to day, the changes are hardly noticeable, but each year provides evidence of the changes life has brought.

I love the phrase, "I am an archeologist of my past" and the impact that it could give. No one else is going to know you better than yourself. Our actions, words, the place, people, and things we chose to surround ourselves can give a story, but it won't include all of our little details. I inherited my mother's love of antiques because of the stories those items left behind. I walk into an antique store and think of the stories behind each item. Someone might only see a rusty piece of junk, but to someone, it could've been an item that drew two people together. That cheap piece of jewelry could've been the only piece a lover could afford to give, a single toy that a child cherished more than life, or a book that was read front to back so much that it was memorized. It is so much more about "stuff". It's the stories and the memories behind each item and the significance of the emotion tied to it.

As you go about your week, look back at what you're leaving behind. Are you leaving enough details about yourself that others would admire? Would they understand the type of person you were and would they respect them? Have you collected enough memories to go with an item, that others could see the passion you had and the love you wanted to give? Life is so much more than things, it's about collecting all the memories you can find that shows the stories you want the world to see.