Some reasons I keep things I don’t ‘use’

Why do I keep ancient things?

Photo from Unsplash. Also used as lead image.

Not really ancient. I was just exaggerating. I would keep books and notes and all even though I don’t really read or use them. It’s just that I feel it is a waste to throw them out. Invaluable is my description of them.

I don’t keep figurines, I don’t keep all tokens (only some that I could), I don’t keep hearts or ornaments. But prints? Oh no… they’re my treasures.

But one day, I just conceded to the privacy invasion of someone. I burned so many things that I am now crying about why I ever conceded with that.

I may not read books often but when I feel so, I can just pick anything and immerse myself in it. Isn’t that a good reason to keep things for decades? Come to think of it. There was this old old book that I took from home with me, and I kept packing it every time we moved places. I wasn’t bothered by it because I just love the stored thoughts, feelings, and stories of others.

And I don’t need to meet real people to be able to engage with them. I can just read their works, be amazed at their escapades, be enthralled with their stories, and so on and so forth.

A few months ago, one of my colleagues put up her old pocketbooks for sale. I bought it for 1000 pesos (around 20 dollars). I didn’t read them immediately, of course, as is always the case with me who keeps putting things at other times. But I stacked them under my table. Hidden away from my sourpuss housemate. He might just make me burn everything away again. He is just so cruel. The main reason why I wanted to be separated from the person. But thought better about the roots I created with him. I can just keep it all inside. Gliding from one happiness to another. I can manage. I will.

This morning, I was trying very hard to craft a reasonable examination for my students. But my niece-in-law forwarded pictures of her assignment via messenger. Asked if I could check them. So, I did, and I was itchy eager to see if her answers were right so I took out a scrap paper lying under my table. I needed some ‘landagan’ so I reached out for any pocketbook nearby. I reached out for the book of Debbie Macomber, solved what I needed to solve, and was glad that my niece-in-law’s answer at least for the first item was correct.

I replied to her saying that since she got the first item correctly, she can just check the others herself if there are no errors. Quite easy, huh? A scam I have been!!! Sorry!

I glanced back at the pocketbook I used to solve the assignment and started reading the very first page, the one right after the cover. It isn’t a foreword technically because it wasn’t titled 'Foreword' but let us just say it is. I was drawn with the first two words with a comma, “Dear Friends,” so I read through to the last line. I then flipped a few more pages to the start of the story and I was hooked on it. So, wow, this is again one of the times that I was able to effortlessly read a book. And I just feel glad that I kept all this despite the other person’s insistence that I shouldn’t keep things I don’t use. What does he know, right?

I read until page 44, and I decided to write this first before continuing. I hope that by the time I am done reading it, I will be able to finish my exams also. And yes, the table of specifications.