What would you take with you?

I was busy, returning from a house that I am helping a client sell, but, on an impulse, I stopped at an estate sale.

I was impressed by the house and also puzzled. It was still filled with beautiful, expensive furniture. I saw an elegant desk and stopped to inspect it, wishing I had room in my home for it.

What was puzzling? The house looked as if the owners had abandoned it in a hurry. Not only was there furniture, there also were beautiful clothes in the closets, fine art on the walls, books, vases and even photos of grandparents.

The woman from the firm handling the estate sale told me the story. The husband and wife, who had lived in the house for decades, had both retired. The husband had purchased a long, luxurious motor home and invited his wife to travel with him for three years.

“If you don’t come, I’m going by myself,” he told her.

Then, they had asked their children to take anything that they wanted from the house, and they had packed only what would fit into their new motor home.

Everything else was for sale.

At first, I was speechless, completely in awe of this couple’s ability to abandon their things. What freedom!

Then, I paused and asked myself: Could I leave everything? Photos of my grandparents and my grandchildren. Art work that my husband and I have loved and enjoyed for so many years. So many small things that are so full of happy memories.

I’m not sure I could.  Could you?

–Fayteen