Why We Save Things

 

Research in the martial arts is a funny thing. You never know when something will prove useful.

 

This year I have been ridding myself of literally tons of stuff I hung on to. Long ago I did the same thing. Then discarding hundreds of old martial magazines. Now many old books, yards of saved discussions from the net, and lots of old keepsakes. Eventually we are going to move and it will be impossible to retain everything.

 

I know I am keeping too much as it is. But stuff has a way of sticking to you. As I discard each piece I remember why I saved it.

 

My wife has been boxing everything up.

 

So yesterday serendipity struck. There was a very old binder. Notes from an obscure discussion I had saved in 2002.  And as it turns out right now my martial research has use for that exact material. It should provide insight into the current topic of my research, eventually for my students.

 

The topic just one of personal interest. But if I hadn’t preserved it, and hadn’t found it, it would have been a loss.