Packing, Moving, and "A Forest of Books"

Well, over the past month I've been going through everything I own in my two bedroom apartment to purge, clean, and pack. I'm in the process of moving to a one bedroom apartment in which the rent will be cheaper and most of the utilities will be paid. Lord knows it will help out on the finances, but the emotional toll it's taking can be nearly unbearable at times.

Seeing old trinkets, mementos, and especially clothes, has brought back a world of memories and stories I had forgotten about.... not to mention no need to go shopping for new clothing! It's been hard to see some things go to the trash or to other people, but I know it's what has to be done. The neatest, so far, has been my mother's collection of records. They were her pride and joy when she was alive, despite not having a turntable for two decades to listen to them on. She simply couldn't part with them as they reminded her of a time gone-by and my father. I knew the 100 or so albums from the 50's-80's were more than I could keep and I wanted them to go to a good home. Selling them to a local music store seemed to be the only option until a good friend noticed my comment about having to load them into my car. It seems he received a turntable/CD player for Christmas and loved the 33 1/3rd albums. We talked and a few hours later he came to pick them up. In talking with his wife, she said he was so excited upon getting them home and going through them. As hard as it was saying "goodbye", it was even better... near cathartic... to know they were with someone who would appreciate and take care of them.

To this same friend went a TON of books (and I'm still finding more as I pack). I packed up five boxes of genealogy books alone, with more scattered throughout two other boxes. My personal books, those I wanted to keep, have totalled roughly four boxes... with still another box to be packed. I teasingly look at the boxes and think, "I have a small forest of trees in those boxes". When I go to move or pick them up, I feel like I found the whole tree... trunk, roots, and all. In the end, though, I have 2-4' book cases that will house those books rather nicely in my livingroom... and a 10' bookcase to house the genealogy books. So there you go, the bookcases and books will "complete the tree"!

Off to relax a little more before possibly attempting to pack more for the eventual move! Then again, maybe not!