My doll collection and ermine plush toy would have to be left behind because they are too big.



One criterion I use is, does this tell a story? If archeologists from another time found everything I brought with me, could those items tell my complete story?

Something that would be more helpful is to understand this: Decisions can't be made overnight. Ever since I was a teenager, I saw footages on the evening news of refugees having to leave their homes and the only treasures they could keep were what they could carry. That would be impossible for those of us living in the United States. We can't carry everything we own on our person. For me, it took years of going through things, again and again, to decide what goes and what stays. The process only gets better over time.

Over this time I've gained more; that's because life happens. If I haven't acquired more, I'm not living. The newer items also need to be entered into the equation.

Jeanette Isabelle