Today I cleaned my room. However it was not a room I have lived in past 1990. Today I cleaned my room in my mother's house in a suburb of Cleveland. It is like a little time capsule. My mother could not bring herself to call wind up toys that don't work, medals, trophies and high school play posters with my name on it trash. How could they be? These items helped form my childhood!
I have to admit. It is tempting. All that 80's neon; Rude Dog poster, Atari cartridges, my clarinet. I too have those DIY fantasies of repurposing it into a lovely collage, shadow box or gag gift. The white copy paper box gleans as I imagine the serpent did in the Garden of Eden. "Sssssss. Keep it. You need it. It's important. You'll use it someday. Sssssss."
The battle rages on. But I have been reflective today on how much plastic does one really need to get through life. Why did some relative feel the need to get me some Precious Moments type of figurine to mark practically every dump I ever took? Why did acid wash ever go out of style?
On this Earthday I hear you Mother Earth. I'm going to be more mindful. Recycle. Reuse. So to the friends on my Christmas list. I hope you need a scrunchy or a copy of Dig Dug for the Atari. Because that is what you are getting.