Decluttering

I got rid of my cross-country skis, boots and poles. It was not easy to do, but it was something I had thought of for a long time before finally acting. Although I enjoy decluttering, I would never have made this particular dump without the boost that came from reading “The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up” by Marie Kondo on my Kindle (another device that has helped me shed unwanted stuff).

In favor of throwing out the ski gear was:

• The little use I had gotten out of them each year due to poor snow and just not feeling like skiing

• The ever-increasing price of ski passes, and the multiple organizations that you must buy passes from

• The way I had dragged them from apartment to apartment during moves and how they were the among most unwieldy items I owned

In favor of keeping the ski gear was:

• Fond memories of skiing in Theodore Wirth, Hyland, the north shore of Lake Superior, Fort Snelling State Park, Hiawatha, and Elm Creek Park Reserve

• The idea that I was giving up on something I had identified with and aspired to

That last one was the most powerful. I thought skate skiing represented me overcoming my antipathy for the cold and dark winters where other people stay indoors. I thought that me gliding along snowy trails under moonlight was the very image of joy and élan in the face of the dreaded winter. I thought it was something I should enjoy, master, and crave.

The book helped me identify that this aspiration led to a misguided attachment based on something I thought I should be.

So I sold the things! In the possession of the enthusiastic Craigslist buyer (who turned out to be an acquaintance), the skis, boots and poles are no longer junk. I no longer have a burden in my closet and a sense that I am not doing something I should be doing. I received a wad of cash and the buyer now has a fun activity to do with his avid skier girlfriend. And I have plenty of other winter activities to engage me.