Thursday, July 16, 2009

Ready to go -- No keys in my pocket

I have no keys in my pocket. Not one.

I have always had keys in my pocket: my childhood bike lock key and house key when I was in old enough to be trusted, a dorm room key and a gym basket key in college, followed by the car keys, house keys, and safe deposit box keys of adulthood. Today I have no keys in my pocket.

Each chapter of this preparation phase has been marked by letting go of one key after another.

I left my office key in the drawer and locked the door behind me late at night after I finally finished the handoff document to my faceless replacement (they're hiring sometime soon, I hear).

I left the key to "the marital home" on his brand new kitchen table, after removing the last remnants of my half of our twenty years together.

I slipped my condo key through the mailslot at the realtors, for the renters to settle in next month before grad school starts in the fall.

I put my car key on my mom's keyring. There's space in her Texas carport for two cars. She'll keep it in the shade for me, taking it out for a run into town from time to time.

I've placed each key where it belongs now. It's just me and my suitcases. My pockets are empty.

5 comments:

  1. What a feeling of freedom...! I'll be following your adventure.

    Warm regards,
    your downstairs neighbor, who has more keys than she wishes!

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  2. You are making this sound really heavenly, except there are even keys in heaven. Hum.

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  3. I'm so glad you've started this, what a fun way to keep up with your adventures!

    Love you and "cain't" wait to see you next summer.

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  4. Love this posting...so many keys in our life but now you will get a new one to open a new door to you. I look forward to reading more about your travels. Stay well dear "Amazon Woman"!
    Diana

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  5. was there a key on the charm bracelet you gave me from your childhood? i'll have to go check... that would be one more on your list. love you

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