Corin HarpeThe holidays are a relaxing time to sit around eating, talking and reminiscing with friends, but sometimes this slight halt in our schedule gives us a reason to tackle tasks we have been putting off, such as reorganizing that old closet in an effort to get rid of clutter.
During this household excursion this year, I unearthed several magazines from my middle and high school years. The fashion trends of the late ’90s and early 2000s came rushing back. All of a sudden N’Sync and Avril Lavigne were brand-new. I didn’t expect to be so moved by these long forgotten items, but the discovery was a moment of history frozen in time.
I realized as I flipped through the summer of 1999 that someone else would have gladly tossed these editions of YM magazine, while another part of me wondered if I could sell them on eBay.
The holidays, this time of rampant gift exchanging, made me think of the significance we place on the things of our life, whether they be clothes, electronics or old magazines. What makes us purchase these things, gift them, throw them away?
Possessions have always been important to me. As an only child, stuffed animals and the random assortment of toys passed down from older cousins cultivated my imagination since I did not have other children around constantly to play house, dress-up or board games.