Packing

The process of packing to facilitate the moving has finally begun. I suddenly realized that I have so many things to pack, just within the 4 walls of my small bedroom. Then I discover that packing itself is an art, an adventure and a journey down memory lane.

Over the last 5 years while I stayed in this room, it has never dawn on me that I have accumulated so many things until today. These are not merely made up of just books and clothes but toys, bags, cds, vcds and dvds. Enough to open a mini rental shop, I presume. Even after packing about 5 big bags of stuffs, I am less than half way through my packing.

Packing was not an easy task, not to mention the strenuous effort required to undertake such an activity, but harder are the decisions required to be made in deciding to throw away items or to keep. Dilemmas strike me several times during the process. Several items were gifts from friends, and I regret to say, I threw away a few gifts, some of my toy collections and books. This was a painful process, but one has to be really decisive and courageous to do so, in order to move on. Therefore, to me, it is an art.

It is adventurous as while I am packing, I began to discover things that I never knew I have, or they have already been out of my mind for years, and indeed it was a really pleasant surprise for many of the items, realizing that I actually possess them, especially my cd and vcd collections, for instance, I actually didn’t know that I have bought some of those music cds at all, and quite a number are still left intact in their plastic coverings, waiting to be unwrapped.

Lastly, it was a sentimental journey. Many of the things I saw reminded me of those pasts I shared with my family and some of my beloved friends, and while looking through those old photographs, those dried up leaves and stones given by friends as souvenirs, those coke bottles and cans, those Mac Donald’s toy collections, it felt like the past was only yesterday. How I have queued overnight at Tanglin Mall several years ago with my friends and niece to collect those Hello Kitty toys. And what about those beautiful seashells? I bought them during my art trip to Malaysia with my secondary school classmates, and several subsequent trips oversea, and it again evokes the love I have towards seashells, their beautiful forms and colors, and how they reminded me that Papa God must have recreated them in view of us enjoying and appreciating their beauty. And the many birthday and Christmas gifts, such as photo frames, stuff toys, etc etc. How beautiful are many of those memories.

Packing is also a time of spring cleaning, perhaps not just physically but also mentally, how things have changed and perspectives and opinions have differed over the years. Things that I once loved may no longer be so precious anymore, and things that I used to view as not that precious has now become something to cherish and for safekeeping. Guess I will still be going through this process of spring cleaning for the next couple of days, and friends, do cheer me on while I move on, tiring yet pretty fulfilling, or do you want to try it for yourself and see if it is true, by giving me a hand?