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My daddy told me that his Papa told him three moves equals a fire. It’s funny the little sayings of loved ones passed that I remember. I hold funny antidotes and wise old sayings firmly in my heart, because we all know that those we love never truly leave us.

The last week I have been very busy helping my daughter make a move. Melinda is only moving across town, but the piles and piles of stuff she owns keeps mushrooming. I’m not saying she would be a good candidate for the hoarder show, but she was definitely working on it!

Melinda absolutely adores clothes and vintage household items. She is a fabulous shopper, and hits the yard sales, estate sales, and thrift shops with a vengeance. On Saturdays I often hear my phone ding with a photo of her fantastic finds of the day. Since she doesn’t pay a lot for her clothes and loves the thrill of the hunt her wardrobe has swelled to mammoth proportions.

With this in mind it has been quite a challenge for her to decide what to keep and what to reluctantly kiss goodbye. I do believe I have washed, folded, and packed at least a small mountain of clothing, as I listen to the dryer hum with yet another load.

Actually, Melinda and I wear the same size tops, and I have the trunk of my car loaded with a bunch of cute items that she’s passed on to me. Even so, if you happen to be in East Tennessee this weekend, I can fix you up with a bargain. Her moving sale is shaping up to be one for the books!

Most of the furniture is staged in her garage until the painters complete their job, hopefully today. Everything is really shaping up for my girl to start a new chapter of her life, and I’m really excited for this new beginning.

What a mess this would have been had she not made the difficult choice of discarding the things that didn’t fit in her new place. Anytime we want to move ahead in life hard choices must be made. Melinda struggles with anxiety from time to time, and change is not easy for her, so leaving her comfortable surroundings was a big step.

In my estimation, many people nowadays need to make some hard choices. I am choosing to distance myself from the news and social media for the most part, because it is easy to get caught up in all the drama, and I refuse to fill my head with hate. Moving ahead, and letting go of the baggage of the past is the only way any can move to a new place. Any that have lived a happy and full life have had to make that choice. I’ve heard it said that old age isn’t for sissies … well, neither is life.

Jan Penton Miller can be reached at lilsisjan@yahoo.com.