Either way....It's a serious (and what I would consider to be a very sad) problem for many people. Although the actual definition of hoarding suggests that items are collected and placed in a HIDDEN location for preservation or future use, it is no secret to anyone that true hoarders sometimes become unable to hide the problem all together, and in turn, end up on A&E for our disgusted judgmental entertainment.
As I mentioned above, my grandmother has alwasy been and still is, what I consider to be a hoarder. As a child and growing teen, I didn't really understand that this was the case...as all of her "collectibles" were saved to help other people or sold at the largest garage sale in Bradenton over the course of several years. (Our family even made the paper several times!) All I knew then was I got to wear the apron, be the boss and most important helper and take strangers money...and that of course, was really all that mattered to me at that time. Granted, my grandmother isn't "advanced" enough in her hoarding to be on A&E or anything...but as I got older I started to realize that the banana boxes full of old towels, rusted utensils, molded sheets, dusty books, outdated clothing, empty plastic milk or butter containers and bags full of used dirty bread ties...were not useful to anyone at all. Rather, they took up space in every room of our house and every part of our lives. I still cannot remember, to this day, a room not having a banana box stack in it.
I have learned enough about the subject being brought up in it to acknowledge and accept that it has, in a sense, been handed down generations....to my dad, to the grand children, etc. I've gained an insiders understanding about the reasons behind WHY my Nana feels the need to keep everything or why her and my dad dig through dumpsters frequently for "good finds" or a potential sale...., but it still saddens me. It scares me. I know I have this in me....whether I want it or not. I hold onto things, I allow things to hold more emotional value than physical or monitary value and therefore, I cannot let go of them or not grow attached. You can see my floor and stuff...so for now, I'm safe I think....However, this makes me wonder if I'm the new technology reliant, earth friendly generation of a Hoarder?
::enter dramatic sound::
da da duuuuuuummmmmm.....Theeeee E-Hoarder. da da duuuummmmmmm.
I just realized today...I've started finding a reason to save email conversations in new folders in my Yahoo Mailbox. I seriously have sepearate e-mail folders for exes, current attractions...., tickets, family, misc., keep, girls that broke up with me alot, insurance and funny stuff. Really? Should I be worried or is this me just being organized? Why do I need to hold onto email conversations? I guess this would come in handy if I got hit on the head at Nana's by an avalanche of falling banana boxes and lost my memory...but still.
I may be treading on dangerous ground.
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