Childhood

It is safe to say that my childhood was interesting. Not that I had a particularly bad childhood but I didn't have a completely great one either. My grandparents did the best they could to make sure the damage that was done by my parents' divorce didn't detract from any of the good memories. I had a loving home environment where I was allowed to express myself in various ways and I was also granted with having three people who told me how much they loved me every day.

That all said, it's funny how I can't let go. Not let go of the past, I am slowly able to do that now as an adult. As the years pass I become less and less bitter about things. I also have come to terms with a lot. The things I can't let go of are some of my childhood possessions. I recently went home for a visit and had to go through some of my old things. My husband and I sorted through everything and separated things into what went to Goodwill and what went back with us to SC. When we got home, I found myself looking through the items that needed to go to storage here. There were so many stuffed animals, books and pictures that I couldn't part with. I just wanted to keep them to pass on to my child some day, that is when I have one.

I guess I have held on to these items for so long and can't bare to part with them because they remind me of the good times. The memories that I would love to share with a little one someday. The question now is how much of my past will I let my child know when I have one? What do I share with them? My grandmother had a rather interesting childhood. It was not a happy one and I never knew until this past trip. At one point we were talking and I said, "These were all things that would have been helpful to have known when I was younger?" To which Gram replied, "Why? I never saw the need." I explained that it would have helped to know because it explains a lot about who she is now and the views she has on things, etc.

I wonder if I will be having the same conversation some day.