I cannot believe what I just did, and on purpose no less. I have always been a sort of packrat. Not so much the kind that keeps thousands of mementos from throughout time cluttered in my house, but in the way that I had every e-mail I sent and a transcript of every online conversation I had since 26 November 1999. Until now.

I decided to delete every e-mail sent before 2004 and remove every chat log that had not been updated in 2004. This may not seem like a big deal to some, considering the fact most people do not retain such records. It was nice to be able to refer back to a time, place or event and recall things or look-up information since forgotten, but in the end I have realised recently my live can be simplified greatly by leaving a lot of my historical baggage in the past.

I have spent a good portion of my weekend doing the same thing to my house; purging my life of things no longer used or wanted. I have really never been one to like a lot of "stuff," but you could not tell that by looking at all the things I have uncovered. Bags and bags of junk now sit at the curb, like all those ones and zeros now entering the electronic hereafter, a shadow of life now discarded.

I have also started to apply this refined view in my interpersonal relationships. Holding on to things to the point where years later they still bother me is unhealthy. So I hold no more ill-will and no grudges; I have forgiven all sins.

Next I will attack some remaining boxes, a closet, my documents partition on my hard drive and my mobile telephone address book.

Letting go feels so good.

2 Comments on “Moving On”

1. Jim
   

   It was nice to hear somebody else saying the same thing about moving on. I too am a packrat, and decided a couple of months ago to get rid of anything I had not needed or used in over a year. I found boxes of things from previous moves that hadn't been opened in years. I have been purging emails as well. The net results is I am feeling less burdened, and it feels good. Best to you. jim

     18 July 2004, 1000
2. David July 
   

   Congratulations, Jim. It really is a great thing.

     20 July 2004, 0121