Safe Keeping Box: Don’t Lose Yourself

In my blog post, 21 Days to Changing Your Life, I talked about how you need a “safe-keeping box” and I PROMISED you that I would tell you all about it in another post well – you’re welcome.

This is THAT post.

I think that it is so important in today’s age that we don’t forget about STUFF. Millennials live in a time where they store EVERYTHING, and I mean EVERYTHING on their phones. In our day-to-day life, minimalism is the “cool” factor, plus “tiny houses” and any normal of other de-clutter ways.

This is the reality. Why keep memories when TimeHop will tell us anyway? Why print out at a picture when you can just screen shot it or post it on social media? I think it’s really important that we KEEP THINGS.

I started the Safe Keeping Box idea when I was very young. I didn’t know what it meant, I just really liked trinkets – kind of like a pack rat (a label I am most definitely worthy of holding) but I am so thankful that I did.

I kept my third-grade trading card for basketball. Cut off blue jeans a tie-dyed shirt – who would have thought that glasses wearing kid would become a Division I basketball player?

I kept the money from my families first family trip to Canada and I can’t help but shudder when I look at those thinking of the horrible submarine museum we went there and how I thought everyone in Canada died horrible deaths.

I have the love note from the first boy who ever wrote me one.

I have a small trinket from every boy I have dated because, regardless how the relationship ended, they all had a significant role in the growth of myself.

I have a packet of newspaper clippings from every high school basketball game courtesy of my 4H extension agent who mailed them to me upon graduation.

I have the dog tags of my beloved first hunting partner, the first best friend I’ve ever had and the creature I will still find myself pining for on the random cold duck hunt morning.

I continue to add things, things you wouldn’t think were THAT important but, years from now, I know that they’ll mean the world.

I have the ticket from the first Oregon State Women’s Basketball NCAA play off game where I got to watch my former teammates play.

I have the ticket stub from one of my best friends first WNBA game that I got to watch.

I have the cards that my family sent to me during my competitions in rodeo queen pageants.

The thing is, we can’t lose track of those things that matter.

I hope that someday, I am going to open that box in front of my children, grandchildren, nieces or nephews and I am going to have such a story to tell from each of those items. A story that I can tell while they hold them, look at them, tangibly TOUCH them, as I tell them the riveting tales of how I grew up. It’s a little time capsule that I’m building to preserve this life that is so short.

Preserve yours.

Enjoy it!