Keepsakes...

My husband and I are in the process of moving to a different city. Moving house is a stressful business, for me anyway. But I suppose the good thing about it is you get to sort out a lot of your old stuff and it gives you chance to de-clutter (if you are not a hoarder!).

Between my husband and me, I am the hoarder. I keep a lot of souvenirs from places I've been. From bus/train tickets to maps and plastic bags! I am hopeless! I cannot keep on doing this as all these "collections" are taking so much space and not to mention gathering a lot of dust! So I said to myself, this time I will be ruthless. I will have to keep my souvenirs to an absolute minimum.

I started collecting stamps when I was in high school. Back in those days, posting personal, handwritten letters was still very much "in". Among my other collections are post cards, mostly places that I've visited. Sometimes I forget what the place or statue or palace is called, so it's always handy with the post card as it usually gives details in the card. I also like collecting coins. When my friends and I did a Europe Rail Tour in 2002 I was able to collect different coins because the "Euro" didn't exist back then.

I love keeping mementos as well. I have all the cards and letters my husband and I gave each other since we've met. It's just so sweet to read them over and over again. I still have a letter from my Dad (R.I.P.) when I moved to Europe in year 2000. Sadly he passed away in 2005, and it always brings tears to my eyes and at the same time a smile to my face whenever I read it. I have also kept a copy of a three-page letter my husband wrote to my parents when he first told them we were moving in together. He didn't know my native language back then, and my parents couldn't understand English so I translated his lettter, and he painstakingly wrote it back again in Tagalog.

All these keepsakes matter to me. Each little piece tells a story. Seeing or reading them again brings me back to some distant memories. And each time, it gives joy to my heart.

Now my job is done. All keepsakes are in one box. And no material things could ever be any more precious than what is in that box.