Changed my mind about saving old birthday cards after my basement flood

I used to throw all cards away the day after, thought keeping them was just clutter. But when my basement flooded last March in Portland, I lost a box of old photos and letters from my mom. My neighbor gave me a plastic bin for my cards and I started keeping just the ones with handwriting I recognized. Now I pull them out when I'm feeling down and it actually helps more than scrolling through old texts. Anyone else keep a small box of physical reminders from people?

3 comments

3 Comments

mary_west12d ago

Funny how you think something's worthless until there's a real chance of losing it. I used to be the same way, I'd toss cards after a week because they took up space. Then my sister saved all the ones I'd sent her from college and showed me that box last Christmas. Now I have a small plastic tub in my closet with maybe 30 cards and notes from people I care about. It's nice having something to hold instead of just reading words on a screen.

robin62812d ago

Nah, it's not that you think it's worthless. You just don't realize it matters until later. That's different.

rubyk2611d ago

Something to hold instead of just reading words on a screen" - that's exactly it @mary_west. I never understood why people kept birthday cards until my mom passed and I found a shoebox full of them under her bed. Every single one I'd given her since I was like 12. Suddenly those dumb little Hallmark cards with my scribbled signatures meant everything. Now I keep a folder in my desk drawer with letters from my husband when we were long distance and a few from my kid's first sleepaway camp. It's not about being sentimental, it's about having proof that someone took the time to actually write something down for you. Digital messages get lost in the void but paper stays.