Friday, September 11, 2009

Cleaning House

Inspired by Andrea, who is cleaning up her blog, I'm cleaning out my attic. And the first thing I came across was a box of old love letters. Now I've been through these before, with a sharp pair of scissors, but his time, I'm sitting by the shredder.

I've kept some of them way too long, and some of them are going to be shredded this very day. Like the one that begins, "Now you shall read the grateful outpourings of an ecstatic heart..." or "Thank you for your letter, coming like water to one thirsting in a desert. I have read and re-read your letter with many tears, and with more tears I write you this..."

Most of the letters I'm keeping, but some of 'em just have to go! Really, truly, I am not going to risk dying unexpectedly and having my children come upon this "goo", to use Andrea's word.

It's amusing and so strange, how new love thinks itself so high and holy and sacred (and it IS!) yet how much of it, in retrospect, is simply driven by hormones, and how easily one can confuse the one for the other. No need to put that on display for posterity.

3 comments:

Andrea Elizabeth said...

Wow, your love letters to your husband! I thought you were allowed to keep those. Interesting that you can still see a need to sift.

btw I think my new blogger blog where I'm storing some of the stuff will be linked to my name. I'm still not sure if I'll add to it.

Anastasia Theodoridis said...

And his to me!

Don't worry, I AM keeping most of them. Just not the very most embarrassing ones.

I mean, have you ever re-read that stuff? After at least 10 years of marriage? Sounds very different than when you/he first wrote it.

I look forward to seeing your new blog.

Elizabeth @ The Garden Window said...

There are some things you prefer your children not to read about your lives,aren't there ?
Come to think of it, I need to do some paper-shredding too !!