Ordinary things

Yesterday I went to Target with Shejuti and Katy, while we were reminiscing about our 8th grade glory days. It felt surreal, to be with them in the present, rather than be with them in our 8th grade bodies acting up in Ms. Davis's class.

We ended up in the notebook section, and Katy spotted a planner with bicycles all over it. We spent a lot of time around it, admiring the different bikes on it and debating on whether to get it. 

By the time we left, Shejuti bought it. Katy was almost convinced that she would buy it.
She dropped me off at home and I entered my house, feeling full and peaceful.

The next day, I returned to Target to complete my dorm shopping list when I passed by the planner again. Before I could thing twice, I took it down and put it in my basket.

Back at home, I began sifting through my stuff and debating with myself whether they were worth taking to college with me. The whole time, I was reminded of Andy from Toy Story 3, deciding whether to bring his toys to college with him or not. And thinking of Toy Story 3, I pictured Daniella and her little brother, and Shejuti, sitting next to me, relishing the whole movie and thinking of our childhood memories watching the first two Toy Story's.

I decided to pack the dress I bought in New York even though it didn't fit me that well. When I saw it, I thought of going to my Juilliard audition and finally seeing the other side of my mountain. I remembered the relief I felt when I was walking through SoHo with nothing to worry about but finding a souvenir article of clothing. And then I would remember going out in that dress to Cheesecake Factory with Daniella, Edna, and Shejuti this summer. Our last get-together of the fabulous 8th grade four that survived so well all through high school.

I packed my headband, even though it was a silly looking one, because I wore it for my first and last ASYO concert.

A Sailor Moon fan because my brother gave it to me.

While I was packing, I thought of all of the things going into my suitcase and wondered if they would become coveted items like those, with the power to bring back feelings along with the memories. The most ordinary things become so special, so personal, so unpredictably.

And I put the planner into my bookbag, because it reminded me of Shejuti and Katy at Target, showing me that things were changing, but they were still here and tangible. Because it made me think that I didn't have to leave everything behind, and nobody was leaving me either. Because it encompassed the meaning of my summer before college, and my senior year at home...and then all the way back to the beginning of middle school, when I wore my house key around my neck and couldn't play Twinkle on the violin. Sealing it all for me so a new chapter can start and this chapter wouldn't be lost.