The Norfolk Pine

  The phone call came from my mother and she was making some changes in her apartment.  (This was a shocker because my mother hates change.)  She wanted to give away this huge Norfolk Pine houseplant in her living room, to make some room in her living room space.  My older sister did not want the strange plant (apparently she had already tried to gift it to her first) and since my sister thinks the Norfolk Pine is truly ugly, surely I would want it for my classroom.  NOT!  I nicely told my mother that I was not interested in the Norfolk Pine and that I did not have the space or room in my classroom for such a large plant.  I did not take the plant.  I was shocked my mother was willing to give this thing away or to even be willing to make any kind of a change.  Had the world come to an end?  She was rather annoyed that no one would take this thing off her hands.  I  think she was shocked no one wanted this Norfolk Pine.  I personally think of it as the big ugly tree thing in the corner of my mother's apartment.  
  Now it was my turn and I did not know what to do. Let me explain- in a way, my daughter's viola and violin instruments were in some ways like the Norfolk Pine.  I knew that my daughters did not plan on playing the instruments, but found it incredibly difficult to think about selling or parting with their musical instruments they had played since childhood.  I knew I needed to let go of this one.
  My husband and I made the decision and we took the instruments to a music shop.  I was good with this decision.  I was good with it til I saw the instruments sitting side by side on a shelf on the other side of the counter.  There they sat, just like they had sat in my living room, kitchen floor, entry way,..... you get the picture.  This letting go stuff was harder than I thought.  I was determined to not let these musical instruments sit in my basement and mold away.  Someone should get some good use from them.  AND if one more person suggests I save the instruments for my Grandchildren, I just might vomit!  (I don't have any Grandchildren nor do I expect any, anytime soon.)
  So the instruments are gone now and out of the house.  The trip to the music store has moved the instruments into the hands of another musician.  I have moved on and maybe this is not like my mother trying to give away the Norfolk Pine?  I don't know. It all was more difficult than I thought it would be and the instruments represent far more to me that just musical instruments.  Who knew?!