I recently got a call from a neighbour, asking if I wanted some movies. She found her DVDs obsolete but remembered that I had an old-fashioned player. Later that day, I received a treasure trove of films. There were quite a few that my husband and I had missed and several we would enjoy watching again.
When I thanked our summer Santa, she told me that she gives away things that she no longer needs. Then and there, I decided that I would refill the container as soon as I had emptied her carton. It was my turn to let go of objects, lying untouched, that might benefit others. What had long stood in my way were the emotions evoked by several items.
There was, for instance, a certain gadget. In March 1996, I had a severe bout of typhoid. I had always been careless about the water I drank, and my unpleasant illness resulted from that folly. My father, who stayed with us, hastened to get a water purifier. He hoped that in future, it would protect us against water-borne diseases.
We used that appliance for twenty-five years. It required regular servicing but stood the test of time. A month ago, I went in for a more advanced model and carefully away from the former. The latter was inseparable from memories of my father, who passed away shortly after he bought it. I vividly recall him supervising its installation and offering me a glass of water as I lay, hot and feverish, against my pillows.
Eagerly examining the DVDs, I knew what I had to do. The water purifier was in working condition and would definitely be helpful to someone I had in mind. I immediately had it taken down from the loft and prepared to part with it. I believe that my late father would have been pleased. Nostalgia had not dulled my reasoning, and sentiment had sense as its seasoning!