THEY'RE AROUND THE HOUSE

Among other items around the house, two of the most commonly tucked away: old letters and old keys. The operative word here is "tucked." You see, we always intended to use them again. Then never did.

If you like metaphors, a couple come to mind. The letters are sightings to pasts we once knew and lived; the keys are for the doorways to some futures we still wish to enter. Then again, perhaps there's nothing metaphoric about them. Simply old letters and keys.

If you come across the letters, it's always interesting to discover from whom and for why. By golly -- I had forgotten I saved that class reunion invitation, that scribbly note from our child, and especially that astounding poem she wrote for our 25th wedding anniversary. Something like perfume, you kept them around to remind yourself those sweet memories really did happen. Why in heaven's name did you ever misplace them?

As for those rusting keys -- frankly I can't for the life of me figure out what they are to. Something like old biases, you kept them around just in case you'd need them again. Was this one to the garage? OK, but then which of the four garages we've owned? And this one, it looks like it could be to a mailbox. But where? And why? I don't even remember owning a keyed mailbox.

So there it is.....! Two more little mysteries to the network of mysteries that make up our life. Like resolute pack-rats, we're forever saving, storing, treasuring up the moments of our lives. Which is perfectly fine, for we thereby recognize our lives were worth remembering. However, why then do we so often forget?

Perhaps it's because we are genetically programmed to keep moving on. Growing. Advancing. Old letters and keys...? Well, like most old things, we keep them around out of habit. Sometime out of hope. The habitual hope that someday we'll find the time for them once more.

Funny, we never know when "once more" could be right now.