Storage Wars Part I: The Way Storage Wages War on Your Future
By Topango Stargazer
1 minute read
Finding oneself can be a challenging task particularly for those of us that do or did not have a stable upbringing or environment.
I found myself at my storage unit once again…ridding its contents of unnecessary items to cut rising costs. The sheer irritation that consumes me as I lift the roll door and peer into what is four generations of items that I was left to inherit, given, purchased or neglected by other family members. My thoughts begin their journey down the road of negativity with each item’s memory, its’ previous joy now a dust covered point of pain.
Amidst what seems a never-ending cascade of household items, my kid’s old toys, favorite blankets, and artwork; I found myself asking why is it so hard for me to let go? Understandably, in a divorce holding onto the kids’ items is a connecting fiber that honestly took time to even look at without invoking emotion. I think for any caring parent, this process should take a healthy amount of consideration and grieving before saying goodbye. The eyeopener for me was, why I allowed another family member to lessen his financial burden of storage and offer me items that belonged to my grandfather but had no use in the modern world. Not only did I gladly take these items, but I have now stored them for over a decade. My dear mother did the same. In fact, I think most people hold onto items that do not otherwise serve them. Whether that be out of sentiment or in my case, an unfulfilled void or desire to find myself through collecting estranged family memorabilia.
Did that family member play on my desire to be connected and accepted among my estranged family? Giving him the benefit of the doubt, we will never know. The lesson I took from this experience is the cost of what we hold onto and why. Does it serve us now, or in the future? Like the storage of physical items, the trauma baggage we carry….we pay for…haul..and move to the next stages of life, until we realize it is simply time to let go!
The war storage (proverbial or literal) wages on self is the ultimate cost of holding onto things of the past that do not serve us, will eventually limit our future or future opportunities.
Love,
Topango
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