Whatr U Workin On

Letting Go

Over the years, I had accumulated a vast array of old mail and personal papers that I had intended to shred with a shredder I purchased many years ago. These papers had grown to several boxes and because I didn’t do what I had bought the shredder for in the first place, found their way into closet space. They had also become a regular part of our moving routine as if they were furniture.

You see, I absolutely refused to just throw these papers into the trash. Addresses, phone numbers, social security numbers, tax returns….I was not going to trust this information was not going to end up in the wrong place….that’s why I bought the shredder, right? Oh, I did use the shredder when I first purchased it, and several times thereafter. But the mass of junk mail and docs and notes, and whatever else with our info on it continued to pile.

Over the past 2 months, I sat myself down in front of the television, making sure their was nothing on that I was really interested in so as not to distract me and piece by piece, junk mail by junk mail, box by box ridding myself of this unwanted pile of old.

There were papers dating back to 1997. Old tax returns, vehicle maintenance, credit card apps, you name it. I even came across an old check what seemed to be worth over $2400 dated 2011. I’m pretty sure it wasn’t a real check or there was a catch in order to cash it in the first place, which is why it sat uncashed. But just for giggles, I took it to the bank….it was actually drawn on my present banking institute….to see if it was a valid check. They told me because of the date I would have to take it back to the issuer of the check. I took it back home, go online and the company is still in business. I call and explain that I have a check, not telling them the amount, but I did give the date of said check. I was transferred to someone’s voice mail and I knew then and there all I had was a trophy in my hands. I wasn’t disappointed because I knew I didn’t cash the check for a reason, in the first place.

As I said, over a 2 month period I took all of the old papers to my job and put them into our shredding bin that we are able to use, to finally get rid of a ‘hang nail’ so to speak. It really felt good knowing that was done and now I can use my personal shredder at home to stay on top of unwanted papers.

Sometimes we hold onto old ‘things’ in our everyday living….not paper….that accumulates and hangs around until they become piles of unneeded debris. We can’t or won’t let go. But holding on to those things prevents us from achieving so many new accomplishments that helps us to grow, to become better in life.

It’s just a matter of having a made up mind and taking ‘things’ to the shredder.