On a Saturday afternoon in early March, when hills of dirty snow line the roads, but everyone is happy because we can feel the possibility of spring in the air, we arrived at the storage depot not far from downtown Ottawa.
This is a great reminder of a curious cultural, social, and economic phenomenon in our age. I wonder what future generations would make of it all. An anecdote reflecting this - my excellent local mechanic and his wife closed their long family business and went into well-deserved retirement. The new owners converted the property to storage units. Not very helpful for my ancient Honda which I'm still driving - unless I eventually keep it as an antique. (In any case I'm convinced I will die before it does. ❤️) Maybe your essay should go in a time capsule? I think you captured all the right feelings and reflections about it.
I love your story, and while memories are so important, I sometimes feel sad when I go back to them. I have to learn to balance the good with the hurt and loss. Thanks for sharing.
Sweet story. And you are right on! But I wouldn't be too quick to discard all of the "old" "vintage" pieces that are either in homes of storages sheds. Kyndal, my granddaughter is 26 yo. I have been grooming her since she was a toddler to be the custodian of the family treasures. And she has taken her position seriously. She loves going through our house and telling me, "I want this" or "I want that." So cute. When she was ~ 8 years old, she put her hand on my arm and said gently, "No offence Grandma, but when you die can I have The Pear?" referring to a very nice still life painting of a pear I had rendered. She will have The Pear long before that unavoidable event happens.
Perhaps some of the young peeps of our day are making an honest attempt to reuse, recycle, and repot. Or whatever that third word is. It is mind boggling to begin to even contemplate all of the "stuff" that has been created over lifetimes. Sensory overload for sure.
Sentimental value of stored treasures is expensive. My practical nature recommends clearing out at least 5 boxes on every visit. Take photos and empty the locker. The children will never go, the furniture has probably lost all its value and upholstered items will deteriorate. Store the memories in you camera and donate or sell the treasures.
« Open the locker door and out flood memories. Is this why we store them? We visit these old friends briefly, usually on evenings and weekends. They are not part of our present daily existence but we cannot let them go. Who would we be without them? »
Oh jee! Really? And here I am trying hard to reduce the quantity of « stuff » my husband and I have accumulated over 50 years and still keep in our apartment but seldom use. A different approach to life and memories obviously.
So true….we have so much stuff….not just memories but actual stuff. It’s always hard to part with even mundane things ( my wife does a better job of it than I do) lest we suddenly find a need for _______. I haven’t yet gotten to the point of paying for space to store such things but have neighbors who do. What are they waiting for?
This is a great reminder of a curious cultural, social, and economic phenomenon in our age. I wonder what future generations would make of it all. An anecdote reflecting this - my excellent local mechanic and his wife closed their long family business and went into well-deserved retirement. The new owners converted the property to storage units. Not very helpful for my ancient Honda which I'm still driving - unless I eventually keep it as an antique. (In any case I'm convinced I will die before it does. ❤️) Maybe your essay should go in a time capsule? I think you captured all the right feelings and reflections about it.
I love your story, and while memories are so important, I sometimes feel sad when I go back to them. I have to learn to balance the good with the hurt and loss. Thanks for sharing.
Liberate. Otherwise your children will have to,
A lovely piece, Adair. As I get older I feel less attached to the things and more to the memories. Thanks for the rich imagery.
Sweet story. And you are right on! But I wouldn't be too quick to discard all of the "old" "vintage" pieces that are either in homes of storages sheds. Kyndal, my granddaughter is 26 yo. I have been grooming her since she was a toddler to be the custodian of the family treasures. And she has taken her position seriously. She loves going through our house and telling me, "I want this" or "I want that." So cute. When she was ~ 8 years old, she put her hand on my arm and said gently, "No offence Grandma, but when you die can I have The Pear?" referring to a very nice still life painting of a pear I had rendered. She will have The Pear long before that unavoidable event happens.
Perhaps some of the young peeps of our day are making an honest attempt to reuse, recycle, and repot. Or whatever that third word is. It is mind boggling to begin to even contemplate all of the "stuff" that has been created over lifetimes. Sensory overload for sure.
I can see the vast landscape of containers, each filled with treasures that we cannot let go...
I love your story but….
Sentimental value of stored treasures is expensive. My practical nature recommends clearing out at least 5 boxes on every visit. Take photos and empty the locker. The children will never go, the furniture has probably lost all its value and upholstered items will deteriorate. Store the memories in you camera and donate or sell the treasures.
« Open the locker door and out flood memories. Is this why we store them? We visit these old friends briefly, usually on evenings and weekends. They are not part of our present daily existence but we cannot let them go. Who would we be without them? »
Oh jee! Really? And here I am trying hard to reduce the quantity of « stuff » my husband and I have accumulated over 50 years and still keep in our apartment but seldom use. A different approach to life and memories obviously.
Me, too. Kudos to you!
So true….we have so much stuff….not just memories but actual stuff. It’s always hard to part with even mundane things ( my wife does a better job of it than I do) lest we suddenly find a need for _______. I haven’t yet gotten to the point of paying for space to store such things but have neighbors who do. What are they waiting for?