one more time with feeling.

When does a keep-sake turn into junk? When does a piece of paper lose or gain meaning? When does a trinket become useless? When does a person lose trust or friendship?
I know I am not supposed to start with questions, but I am not here to be graded, I am here to talk.
I recently moved, and before one leaves their first residence for another, they go through their items and decide what to sell, donate, or trash. Then after, at homestead B, boxes are unpacked, and items are thrown out more, leaving you with less than before, but still too much.
I went through boxes of memories, snapshots, notes, and clothing that once meant a lot to me, but after a time turned into nothing but “stuff”. I found a shoebox with bracelets that now meant nothing to me, but years ago I would have gotten excited and told stories, laughing the whole time. I found pictures of friends I never talk to, have lost, or just faded after high school.
When pictures fade, do memories as well?
I trashed gifts that still hold good memories, only because they take up too much space. I kept items with good memories, but now lost friendships.
And I don’t regret you you’re just too damn stubborn to ever admit your faults.
I donated clothes that once fit me perfectly. I said goodbye to years of the same textures for more opportunities. I let go of wondrous outfits that I now have no space for.
So this is the question; when does something lose its meaning? When it has to? when it's thrown in your face and no one can fix it because the wrong person wont say the right thing?
While you are thinking about that, let me intoxicate your mind with more questions; when do normally useless items gain said meaning? I know this answer. When they are gifted, when they are thrown into your lap as a joke, or when you go to a good concert and cant throw away a ticket because at the time, it means so much to you. When you're shopping for shoes at a thrift store and find a perfectly 80's wedding dress for $10 and cant pass it up. When you're browsing for simple or meaningful object and fall in love with someone's lost meaning of a masterpiece.
Today, I fell in love with a ring whilst shopping at a thrift store. I was looking at an ugly orange ring when the man pulled out a tray of unpriced rings, and I fell in love. I fell in love with someones once treasured ring. There it sat between a sad looking pearl and that ugly orange marquee. It was gold, with rubies and diamonds. Sounds like just another ring, but it wasn't. It was a row of square-cut ruby perfection, flat on top with just enough shine. across those red lovelies was a gold, diamond studded snake wrapping around it's treasure with another round cut ruby on it's priceless head.
I fell in love. That ring meant everything to me in a matter of a glance.



But time will go on and as has happened before, I will attain money just as someone will waltz in and steal my treasure.

When does something lose or gain meaning?