Saturday, June 21, 2008

Nostalgia


You may remember this post, where I talk about throwing out some old nostalgic items while moving into this house.  I talk on (and on) about letting go of items from the past (in this case it was my old ballet shoes).  

Well, apparently, I couldn't let go of those. I actually kept two pair. 

Yesterday, I decided I had to try them on.  For old times sake.

I laughed out loud while shoving my feet into these narrow shoes. I have the most block-square feet known to man.  They are almost as wide and they are long. They are the Freddiest of Fred Flintstone feet. How I managed to squeeze my feet into these shoes and actually dance on them is beyond me...of course that was two children, and a life-time, ago!

I put them on, and gingerly pulled up on my toes, and yikes!, my tender feet are so over those harsh dancing days. They prefer pedicures over pointe shoes.

Nowadays, I'll chooser the sensibility and comfort of my running shoes to the hard, painful, toe box of the ballet shoes. They are so beautiful, and yet there is a cost.

Ah! The memories!

What do you keep for nostalgic reasons?  

12 comments:

Anonymous said...

I love that picture. It is such a great juxtaposition of past and present. And suddenly I sound like my favorite art history professor.

I just today put away my two Cabbage Patch dolls, which I keep because my grandmother bought them for me right before she died. Cabbage Patches were the rage, and were hard to find, and someone called her and said, "A new shipment just got to KMart!" and I am not kidding, Gramma threw her oxygen tank in the car and away we went.

So I am a 42&3/4-year-old woman with Cabbage Patches. Sue me.

Anonymous said...

Those are beautiful shoes. So feminine. Little by little I'm learning about the artist in you. You sew, you sing, and now come to find out you were a ballerina too. The ultimate girl.

I hang on to all my old cheerleading stuff. Not that I could even dream of squeezing my post childbearing hips into that itsy bitsy skirt of mine. Those were the days when I thought triple digits on the scale would be the death of me. Let's just say I've changed my mind on that. :) For sanity's sake.

mer@lifeat7000feet said...

Well, because I've been on a recent cleaning purge, I'm aware of some crazy things I've kept for nostaligic reasons. My list includes...

--my post-braces retainers (ew!)
--all of the letters and cards John has ever given to me
--a foosball that I won in an office tournament (I was the Queen of foosball) signed by all the losers!
--a peach fabric flower from my bridesmaids dresses
--my roller skates! white leather with sparkly blue wheels, toe stopper, and laces!

Megan O. said...

Rrrooo-Rooo (That's my best online whistle) Look at those LEGS!

I'm not usually a really sentimental person but on our latest trip to the beach I collected a bunch of rocks from the ocean that I brought home and have sitting on a table in the living room. It's to help me to remember a fun and relaxing time in my not-so-distant past. :)

Anonymous said...

Now, if we could just work on getting rid of those high heeled shoes.
The Mister

Michelle@Life with Three said...

I guess the one thing I've held onto is my cheerleading letter jacket from high school. I couldn't wait to get that jacket and, while I haven't put it on in years, I can't bring myself to part with it. Kind of cheesy, I know. :)

Anonymous said...

the question is what don't I keep for nostalgic reasons? it's a real problem.

Ann Harrison said...

Hi!
I found you through Mom Bloggers Club.
My nostalgic item is my grandmother's earring tree.
All of her beautiful clip-on earrings trailing down.
I love it when my youngest plays dress-up with them. (It's hard not to cry!)
~Ann

http://annagain66.blogspot.com/

sari said...

I keep way too many pieces of "art" that my boys have done. I have boxes and piles everywhere.

Your shoes are beautiful! I'd keep them as well.

Lara said...

I'll give you three guesses and the first two don't count...BOOKS! Oh and I have two dolls that were my grandmother's and one that was Ray's grandma's from when she lived in Spain and Cuba. I keep old letters, I have a tennis team jacket and a charm that belonged to my highschool boyfriend in Germany (lets see that was 19 years ago), and TONS of photographs! I'm am an admitted collector (clutterbug in your language :) )

Lindsay said...

that is to funny.. I have a big box of softball uniforms that I can't seem to get rid of.. I have hopes that one day I will buy a sewing machine and turn them into a quilt.. You have to keep a little Nostalgia around :-)

Jackie said...

I am not much of a pack rat, but I do keep most of the cards and letters that I've ever received. I go through them every once in awhile and get rid of some so that they don't take over the house...but it's hard!

Also books...I've kept books that I read back when I was 12, just because I can't stand to get rid of them.