In the genes.

I was talking to my daughter-in-law, Joanna, today, and she mentioned that Kaleb was getting drums for Christmas. Kaleb, Matt's son, is just like his daddy. Matthew, when he was little, drummed on everything. He drummed with his spoon on the high chair. He drummed with his shovel in the sandbox. One of my favourite memories of Matt was of him sprawled, upside-down, on the couch, with his legs in the air and his behind up. He was drumming on his rear! I told Joanna that Matt came out of the womb ready to start drumming.

Now Kaleb is doing the same thing. He grabs his father's drumsticks, and taps on his trucks, on the couch, on the floor. His eyes light up and his grin is wide: he's making music.

It's amazing how our children are like us. Kaleb, his father Matt, and Matt's dad, Rick, all have the beat within them. They like to tap, to keep time to the music, or their heartbeat, or even their thoughts. You can see the pattern going through the genes, from father to son to grandson.

Unfortunately, sometimes we inherit bad tendencies from our parents. I caught the clutterbug from my mom, who caught it from her mom before her. I tend to save things, just in case. I might need that purse some day, or that what-zit.

My mother kept a clean home, but her closet was cluttered. Her bedroom drawers were stuffed to the brim, and she had boxes and bags of stuff packed away, just in case. I remember my grandmother's flat in Verdun - clean, but cluttered.

Unfortunately, I inherited that tendency to save things, just in case. As a result, my life is cluttered. I have too much stuff. And I feel burdened, weighed down, with the responsibility of caring for it.

Today, I went into my closet to get wrapping paper. I stood there, looking up at boxes of "stuff", wondering what was in them. After a bit of investigating, I found a bag that I thought I had lost, some stuffed bunnies I had planned to give the kids two Easters ago, and some old, out-dated purses. What was I thinking?

There were clothes I was saving that were two or three sizes too small. If I ever do lose that much weight, they'll be so out of fashion that I will look like a bag lady if I wear them. Out they went.

A bridesmaids' dress. Some old curtains. Turtleneck sweaters. (I NEVER wear turtlenecks...hate that constricted feeling. What was I thinking?) Out they went!

I discovered a garbage bag, sealed tightly, on the top shelf. Hmmmmm... what was in there, I wondered. I pulled it open and TA DAH - a beautiful snowsuit that will fit Elena for this winter. Do I remember where it came from? NO, but Elena's sure thankful that I decided to clean my closet today!

There was an old accordion, 'way in the back of the closet. I asked Rick what he wanted to do with it, because it was his mother's. He didn't want me to throw it out (!), but was willing to give it to one of the children. Tiana was soon playing it, making it sing. She was delighted, and told me that she has wanted an accordion ever since the family reunion at Springbank Park. Another family was having a reunion close by, and Tiana was thrilled as she listened to the Greek papa play the accordion while his huge family danced in a big circle.

The next hurdle will be to get Rick into the closet, trying on clothes (anathema to him) to determine what needs to be tossed. He hates trying on clothes, for any reason. Even when he gets a new article of clothing, he just puts it away until he actually plans to wear it. None of this trying on business. He's got better things to do. Like drumming. :)