Monday, February 20, 2012

A Twist on Heirloom Guilt

I would like to think of one task to do tomorrow.  One 'doable' task.  See I am always thinking of lovely, grandiose ideas that take lots of planning and materials, and importantly discussions with my more cautious half.  Oh, and i tend to stack several large scale ideas together....i am sabotaging my efforts, yes?!  I make it so big it is impossible, and then i do nothing.

I am thinking that i could reasonably hope to reduce the clutter in my house by saying farewell to my late grandmother's old plant stand.  She used it for years, and it served her well.  However, she was living alone in 1600 +sqft.  and i have little more than that with 5 people.  A friend recently tripped over it, and had no qualms telling me it really had to go (she is also older and lives in a 2300+ sq. ft. house with just her husband).  Even before she said something i knew it didn't work.


That is why it started it's life in the garage.  Eventually it was moved to our small storage space above the garage.  Then, I was trying to make room up there, and came to my senses....sort of.  If I was going to keep it, it had to be useful...which I construed to 'put to use.'  I hauled it out, gave it a paint job, and set out to find some plants to set on it (it has never been full, I love plants, but outside).  I never did find a place that it 'fit'.  We just don't seem to have any extra space, and the whole endeavor has been wasteful.

Why?  Why am I keeping it?  Am I really sentimental over a plant stand?  Honestly, it is heirloom guilt, but not in the traditional sense.  There is a twist here.  If it was the association with my grandmother at issue, I would have taken a picture years ago.  No.  It is the guilt I feel when my mother realizes (and she will) that it is missing.  More than that it will be dealing with her over it, so I guess it is more like anxiety...not good.  It will go tomorrow...

But wait! there is more.  You see she has NO space left.  If I tell her i am getting rid of it she will want it back-and then i feel guilty to adding to the worthless things she is keeping (there is no way she could use it, hence  worthless).  My father will blame me for her bringing one more thing home.  Now if I don't tell her it is going and just get rid of it, she will be upset that I offed and 'heirloom.'  And no, there is no one else to pawn it off on--I only get the stuff that no one else would take, I am last in line.

UPDATE:  I talked to her and she agreed I could release this item!!!  It is gone!!!!!

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