It’s just after midnight, and for the last fourteen hours I’ve been working like a stereotypical man, helping some friends clean out, declutter, and throw away in preparation for a potential move. My friends, who are self-described “pack rats” or “hoarders” said, “We know you’ll be able to help us get rid of things.”

I said, “You’ve come to the right place.”

Essentially hired to say, “Throw that away,” and ” Donate that” over and over again, that’s what I did all morning, afternoon, and evening. Plus, I helped unpack, pack, and move around a lot of boxes. By the time the day was done, my friends and I managed to clean out two storage units and a garage and haul off three loads of trash. Plus, we made three trips to the donation station.

During our last charity drop-off, the teenager working the door said, “Welcome back.”

I’m really trying to keep this short. I’m tired, exhausted, sore, and filthy. I smell and need to take a shower. Still, I’m extremely grateful that my body rose to the task today. It definitely hit a wall there at the end, but did a fabulous job. I’ve spent a lot of time whining or at least being disappointed in my body these last many months, so I’d like to be clear–I appreciate the good days.

Near the dumpster where we took the trash today, there was an old car, a Dodge. The back windshield was busted, two doors were missing, and the whole thing was so covered in rust that it looked as if it had survived Armageddon. I crawled in the trunk, played around in the back “seat.” (There was no back seat.) Not being “a car guy,” I tried to imagine what the car once was. I can only guess beautiful, shiny, top of the line, since not only did it have air conditioning, but it also had settings for “summer” and “winter.” My point is this–it’s junk now. Having been through my own “moving sale” and having sorted through several other people’s stuff before and including today–honestly–I think all our possessions are junk. (What are you going to do with them when you die?) I’m not saying get rid of everything you value (or that I don’t value anything I own–I do!), but I am saying keep it in perspective. Know what’s really important. Because physical things are intended to wear out, meant to be used and enjoyed and then discarded. This includes all our keepsakes, collectibles, cars, and bodies.