Sentiment

This evening we decided to rearrange our two spare bedrooms.  It's actually kind of been a week-long process of going through stuff.  We wanted to clear out Anna's future bedroom to make room for a pretty little girl when the time is right.  Basically we had kept a lot of our things in there that we didn't really know what to do with.  So with going through things came some discussions about what to keep and what not to.

My hubby and I are very alike in so many ways.  I could list them, but it would take a while.  We're also very different in many ways.  It keeps our marriage interesting and well-balanced.

One of those differences comes in sentiment.  I am 100% NOT sentimental.  Objects just really have no emotional attachment for me.  Maybe it's because I have a very sharp, clear memory and I don't feel like I need a thing to remind me?  I do love pictures (if you couldn't tell by the thousands I post of Anna) and those are sentimental to me.  Basically, I have no problem getting rid of just about anything.  I am whatever the opposite of a pack rat is.  I get rid of EVERYTHING!

Basically my selection process is: If I don't remember where it came from upon first glace, or if I didn't know that teddy bear from long ago was in drawer I just found it in, I obviously didn't miss it and clearly don't need it.  So out with it!

Jeremy is very different.  While I wouldn't classify his as a pack rat by any means, he is definitely more emotionally attached to objects that bring memories.  He's likely to pick up that same teddy bear that I would thrown away and describe a memory that goes with it.  I would be likely to describe the memory with no recollection that a teddy bear was involved.  See the difference? 

So through the years we've learned to respect each other's sentiment while still making sure the things we kept actually had sentimental value and the things we got rid of were definitely ready to get cut.  This week was one of those times.  We had fun sharing memories and we had fun laughing at the ridiculousness of some of the things we kept. 

It used to be a source of tension when we went through things.  However, together, we've both come a long way at meeting in the middle.  And after an evening of going through things, it dawned on me how much we've grown together.  We've definitely met in the middle!