Packing in job inevitably means packing up an office / desk / computer contents which, being the hoarder I am, is no trivial task.

I received one of those emails today that I've seen before but appears to be doing the rounds again. On the subject of how much better life was in childhood before the electronic age. It was a good antidote to how I was feeling and my reply to the mail seems relevant, so I'll quote it:


Thank you for that.

Trust things are well. I'm supposed to be clearing up - or rather clearing
out - but always find it a depressing kind of job to do.

All the jobs I've not got round to.
All the stuff I've saved for a rainy day but know I'll never use/need.
All the things I find that I once hunted for for ages.
All the reading saved for 'when I had a moment' that never arrived.
All the files that aren't in order despite the fact that a) I have a filing cabinet and plenty of shelving and b) I'm a librarian.
All the books I've abducted from their proper shelves and not read.
All the junk I've accumulated that really could have been thrown away a lot
earlier.

and then knowing, at the back of my mind, that it's just the same with
people:
all the colleagues I've not made time to make friends with
all the stuff I've planned to do with friends that we'll never get to
all the stuff I've not planned to do but that we'll still never get to
all the things I've said that I shouldn't
all the things I've not said that I should

so your email was a cheery reminder that life goes on and we always view
the past with rose tinted spectacles. At least I can take the chance to do
some weeding in my lifegarden and make a fresh start.

Have a good day