I had no idea I had so much. Two years of bills, tax forms, old college course material, sheet music... it just went on.
This week I took it all to my office. Everything needed to be digitized. The tax forms went well. So did some other financial things. I shredded the old bills. Then came my treasures: my college course notes.
- Gospel of John. I love these notes. I love this time in my life. I learned so much and it's eternally valuable stuff.
- Old Testament.
- Oxford Christians. The quality of this class and the relationship on an intellectual level between myself and my teacher was unreal. I will miss this until I am dead.
I ended up shredding the OT notes. Today, I scanned the Oxford Christians notes. I can't wait to share them.... But the Gospel of John notes...
There were too many to scan. I agonized over this. I loved this class. I love what I learned about myself, about Jesus, about the book of John. As I sat in my office, trying to pare down the notes after talking Miranda last night, I just ended up taking the next step....
I shredded them all. I breathed deeply and remembered: the treasure isn't in the paper and maybe God would rather me reread and search for Him in the book itself rather than my notes.
I don't know and I might not ever know if that's the right choice, but it is the choice I made.
Sometimes, minimalism is hard, but worthwhile.
I thought of your minimalism journey while cleaning both my room and car this last week. I had tons of old school papers, going back to high school. My reason for saving was I might be able to go back and share the notes with friends who take the classes, or something along those lines. But I realized...really...in the last 3 years I have not once looked at these, asides from moving them about...Trashed.
ReplyDeleteI will say I cant get myself to go just as far as you tho...Was able to pass on some clothes and furniture I no longer wanted/needed...But my books...no way...
I'm not saying get rid of your books. I kept some of my books, but I narrowed it down to the ones that were like a 10 to me. I have about 40 books now.
ReplyDeleteI have almost all of them as ebooks...Idk. could easlily cut my collection in half, by keeping only '10s'.
ReplyDeleteThen you should and I recommend it. Your life is too short to have anything in it that isn't pure gold. Things especially. Why have books that you sort of like maybe instead of books (and other things and people) that rock your face off every time you see them.
ReplyDeleteI think you want that life. I do.
If you have them as e-books, I would DEFINITELY get rid of everything that is not a solid 10. Not even 9.8. TEN.
I think I will give em a trim :) I have a good idea for em to. Take em to my high school, since I know they don't have them, at least when I was there. That's why I got most of them.
ReplyDelete