When is it time to let go?

So I have been struggling with what to write. Believe it or not there are a lot of topics I want to get out there in space, and get other people's thoughts...if there are any people who still read this.

But while watching a show about hoarding, who knew there were so many hoarders in America? I guess that goes to show what this culture is coming to, closed doors, and too many secrets. Anywho, there was a commercial for some new makeover show. And the host said "You are 30 years old, you should not be wearing anything from high school" and then they dramatically show them throwing a pile of clothes in the trash. This has been something I have been thinking about lately.

Now, I am pretty sure I don't wear anything from high school. Every season change, summer to winter, and winter to summer when I take the clothes from my closet, if I haven't worn it in that past season, it gets donated. I will not be showing up on one of those hoarding shows anytime soon. Any shirts that mean anything to me, band shirts, sports shirts, even a Steak N Shake apron, are all in a storage bin in the basement waiting to be made into a t-shirt quilt, for any children that might come along...don't get your hopes up yet ;)

But overall this question sits inside of me..."When is it time to let go?"

I am talking about my Bronco (from my undergrad) license plate, which still sits on the front of my car. Is it time to take that down, and retire it? I mean I graduated four years ago, and I have a higher degree from a different school. I don't even live in the same state. But I still hang on to those memories from college. As so many say, some of my best memories. But the license plate doesn't hold my memories. By taking it down doesn't mean I didn't go to undergrad, or have the relationships, and fun that I remember. But when are you holding on to items too long?

I still have a photo montage in my basement that hasn't been added to since we moved to Atlanta. The pictures all mean something, they are freeze frames of events I hold dear. There is one of my favorite pics of my sister and I on our first cruise, a picture from the day Jacob and I eloped, a picture from my 21st birthday which I celebrated at Steak N Shake, with my bestee Shane. There are some friendship bracelets from high school, the red and pink ribbon we wore at high school graduation in memory of the two seniors we lost, and the red, white, and blue ribbon we wore on our band uniforms the game we played three days after September 11. Oh and my hood ornament from the first car I bought, and a note that Shane gave me when I was really in the dumps. It is these things that I know I can move on, but when? When does it become too long, or almost like a hoarder?

After we bought our house, one of the first trips my mom and Duane made down here was with a filled truck of all of my "keep" boxes. These were boxes that each one of kids had, and through every move it was never tossed, and never gone through for garage sales. These boxes have our baby books, pictures of us growing up, report cards, and other items that we felt as we were growing up we wanted to keep. I have mementos from my various trips overseas, and pictures from middle and high school. So what do I do with those items? They stay in our "keep" closet, as Jacob's parents dropped off all of his items too. Once and a while I will go through these things, when looking for something specific....but otherwise....

So I guess when is it time to move on? And is there any fun thing I am missing to do with these items? Like I said someday I hope to learn to sew, at least enough to make this t-shirt quilt that I so want to. And then what......