I spent the morning clearing out my garage. My sons are preparing to move out on their own and I will be downsizing from this four bedroom home in the next few months, so I’m trying to pare down my stuff.

Eight years ago circumstances led me to uproot myself and start over in a new town. At the time, I brought only what I thought of as the bare essentials, the absolute necessities, with me.

This morning, to my consternation, I found boxes that had not been opened since that move. When I looked inside I had to just shake my head and wonder what I had been thinking to have dragged these belongings with me into my new life. Almost without exception these things went straight into the donation pile.

What I had once considered necessities now had no place in my life.

I’m more of a thrower than a keeper by nature, so I could not imagine why these items had seemed so important to me.

I have long held to the philosophy that in our early years we may build up possessions as we are establishing homes, families and careers, but once those parts of our lives are well-equipped it is a good plan to begin to periodically pare down, so that when we release our grasp on life there is nothing else in our hands.

I hope to have armfuls of treasures awaiting me in Heaven, and no regrets about leaving this world behind.

In spite of my good intentions, however, I have managed to amass an inordinate amount of extraneous objects in the past eight years. Sorting through them, I will keep what I really need, throw away the trash and the rest will join my erstwhile necessities in the donation pile.

When I am judiciously assessing which items to keep I will try to be mindful of how changes in circumstances can make once vital possessions completely dispensable.

Hopefully, I can avoid storing unopened boxes of uselessness for the next eight or more years.

Life is a glorious adventure with new surprises around every corner. I can’t enthusiastically embrace it with my arms full of “stuff”.