The Hoarder In Me

I know the kind of hoarding many of us know of or have seen depicted on reality TV is a genuine psychological illness. But lately, in going through boxes of curriculum from 1991-2010 that I wrote or helped write, I'm having real difficulty discarding much. That has me reflecting on the hoarder in me.

What do you hold onto that you know, logically, makes no sense? Aside from my recent discovery described above, I've always had difficulty parting with books I've finished (and sometimes even with ones that I've only started.) Parting with a book I finished feels a little like letting go of an old friend. I invested time. I learned something. I laughed or cried or was bewildered. I don't want to forget how I felt. And besides (here comes the really illogical part), I might re-read it "someday". Of my entire book collection, there are probably less than 20 books I've ever re-read. But still...

I'm not in danger of appearing on a reality show. But as I've continually re-learned, it's just a matter of degrees. Every time I look at those boxes of curriculum or my books I need to remember that.