The passage of time
My daughter collects "things". Not systematically, but items which are souvenirs of her life. I used to do this too - tickets to the theatre, special coins, the top of a soda with significance - it all had meaning and referred to some even in my life. I felt like I needed to hold on to them. My life was so short, how could I know there would be larger events, deeper emotions, souvenirs of more mystery, and that they would be found, experienced, cherished and lost - and still life would go on?

At this point in life there are too many things. I need to lose them. But how can I? I want to get rid of the plates we bought when we first moved to Volda, scratched and chipped dinner-plates. But for that to make sense I have to replace them with something. I know what. I just don't see myself throwing out the old ones. I have to make it a major operation: old out, new in. Smooth easy refurnishing of the cabinet and the old crap is gone, long live the new style.

But those were the first plates I ever bought for myself. Until then I had lived with the odd spares my mother didn't want to throw away. And I bought them when our life as students living in student housing ended, when we both had work, real work, for the first time. It's not a soda top. Time passes, and I really need to learn that new events will have as much or more significance, if I just make room for them.