Last Year’s Loving . . . & other receipts

Posted on Saturday, August 13th, 2011 at 12:17 am

Receipts remind me of money I no longer have.   Stacks of receipts remind me of taxes… and I guess stacks of money I no longer have.

Tonight, I finally brought myself to sit down and deal with my 2010 taxes.  I pulled out a small green Ikea box full of wads of crumpled receipts, and began  straightening each one, neatly stacking them into tax-worthy categories.   A funny thing happened.  As I looked at each tired piece of paper,  memories began flooding back.  Trips to the West Coast, drinks with old college friends in Manhattan,  long dinners with last year’s love attempts.  I began to walk through each conversation and the thoughts going through my head at the time.

It’s not until I was slowed into this reminder that I realized how full our lives are. I spend so much of my time thinking about the goals that haven’t yet been achieved, that I completely forget about the journey so far.  Without being told to, I was ushered into a sincere thankfulness; a genuine appreciation of life.

Thanks . . . I guess, is all I’m saying.  Who knew taxes could be so fun?  And screw it.  I don’t want the money back.