LESSON LEARNED: Tell the story, the pictures don’t always.

My Dad recently passed away at the age of 85. On my quest to write his obituary I spent two days going through carefully stored pictures and documents from his life. I found his army medals, his medical degree, letters my Mom wrote him when they were dating... a wonderful collection of the places he’d been and seen. The pictures were beautiful – there’s nothing like a black and white photo telling a story while the white border around it holds it in. My Dad was a great man. The pictures I found only reinforced that fact but at the same time proved to me there was a lot I didn’t know. I wish I had asked more questions and I wish he had told more stories. As an organizer and mother of an eight-year-old son, I learned one more of life’s lessons. Take the pictures, but even more important – tell the story. In a world dialed in to digital photography, this is even more important. First, develop the photos. Second, make sure you tell the story on the back of each - name, dates, locations. So one day, when your daughter or son is searching to know even more about their great mother or father, it will be as easy as turning over a picture.

QUOTE

“Details add the layers and layers add the interest.”
Kelly Wearstler, designer

A LIFE LESSON: Burn your candles and use your good china

Erma Bombeck wrote in her last book, If I Had My Life To Live Over –

“I would have burned the pink candle sculpted like a rose before it melted in storage”.

As an organizer, I probably spend 75% of my time coaching clients on how and when to let go of their stuff. I teach them that things they no longer love, use or wear are merely taking up both physical and mental space. In the midst of a large down-size move-out/move-in project this week I realized something... a lot of the things that people tell me they love are also being kept for special occasions. After packing and moving two china cabinets full of crystal and entertaining china, I realized that something that had taken up 18 boxes was only going to be used at Christmas or when an event came along that was considered a special occasion. I think it’s time to use the china. Why do we wait to use something that is so beautiful for a special day? Aren’t we special? Shouldn’t we surround ourselves with things that we love, evoke fond memories and look way better than the chipped plate we’re currently using? And what about those candles? You know the ones, filling those drawers. It’s time. Tonight – order a pizza, get out the china, fill up a crystal glass with some wine and light those candles! Live in the moment, for today is a special occasion.