Other Things I Collect

It’s time for me to get a new phone. This has been coming on for quite a while. When the phone is off, it’s hard to turn it back on, and when the phone is on, it’s hard to shut it it off. That, plus the battery never fully charges and it is always running low- much like myself.

I don’t mind so much giving up the phone. What I mind is giving up all of those text messages stored in there. Right now, I have 439 text messages- many of which are several years old. If you wonder why I have so many, the short answer is that they’re all from the kids.

The longer answer is that the phone has become kind of a pocket diary. I can look back on each one of these messages and remember that point in time.

I have messages from Rachael and Helaina asking me to pick them up at work. I have messages from Jake asking me to pick him up from the band building.

I have messages from each of them letting me know they’re on their way home. And I have messages from each of them letting me know they've reached their destinations safely- Boston, Louisville, Miami, Montreal, New York, Narragansett, and more.

I have messages of good news- a lost iPod that has been found, the promise of a new job, an apartment that has been secured. I have messages that tell me about their day, and I have messages that share their problems and their fears.

I have wishes of Happy New Years and Happy Easters, and wishes of Happy Birthdays.

I have texts about snow showers and meteor showers. I have texts about an eclipse.

I have a “That's Nice!” and “You have fun!” from Sam. I have “Oy’s” and “Huzzah’s” from Jake. I have “:)’s” and “:D’s” from Helaina, and “Oh crrrrruuuuuuuelllll wooOOOOoooOoOoOooOOOrrrld” and “xo xo’s” from Rachael.

Most of all, I have the “I miss you’s” and the “I love you’s”. I  look at all of theses messages, but I look at those "I love you's" a lot.

It’s hard to give these kinds of things up.

It's why I've saved 439 text messages.