Do I need this?

It happens every once in a while: I look around the house and start wondering whether I need to keep every single object in it. Some of the objects are easy: the stove. I use the stove almost every day. Yup, gonna keep it. Yesterday's newspaper: nope. Most of the objects are harder: that cool dress I used to wear all the time in college, the one that was probably 40 years old when I bought it in 1976, the one I waltzed in with lovers and friends and even one guy who I really didn't get along with but he was the best waltzer I knew, the one I haven't worn since 1980 and couldn't get into now with a corset and a crowbar, do I need to keep that? I suppose I don't, but I'm gonna keep it anyway.

And those books I love but probably won't read again, do I need to keep them? Will the grandchildren read my copies, or will they read library copies, or just never read them at all? The ones I know I'll read again are easy to decide about; I've already gotten rid most of the ones I don't love and won't read again.

Maybe I'll stare at the kitchen gadget drawer instead and wonder about the weird old cookie cutters for a while.