Okay … so it’s taken three months, but our goods kept in what the government refers to as “Non-Temporary Storage” have finally arrived. No big deal, right? Take some time away from work so the wife doesn’t have to deal with the whole ordeal alone, and spend an afternoon directing movers like a traffic cop. Piece of cake, and anyone who’s spent time in government service is likely all-too-familiar with the drill. The only thing that makes this iteration a little bit different is how long its all been in storage. We last saw these goods before departing on our first tour to Japan in 2006.
Yeah, you read that right! This shipment’s been in government storage for 13 years!! Take a second and let that sink in. What did your life look like that long ago? How similar or different from the one you lead today? It’s tough to put oneself back in time and objectively look into the mirror, and yet, I’ve been given that very rare opportunity this week.
First, let me say up front that we are the proud owners of what may be the largest magnetic tape collection in the world. Between old VHS tapes and even older cassette tapes—some of which had been acquired just two years prior at the Defense Language Institute—the amount is absolutely staggering. Fortunately, we’re able to make good use of them since this shipment included three Sony Walkman devices and a camcorder. No, not the little one that fits in your palm, the great big, shoulder-mounted, “Yes, I do work for CNN” size camcorder. Didn’t remember even owning one—and yet, here it sits.
The books I remembered well, about 2,000 pounds of which nicely complement the 4,000 pounds we’ve accumulated over the past decade. That works out to three tons of books—a quantity that would be much higher, I suspect, had e-books not been invented. But the collection of printed material nicely highlightes a lifetime spent studying history and a career invested learning foreign languages and cultures with materials spanning not just Japanese and Korean, but Arabic, Pashto, Dari, Russian, Serbo-Croation (can’t remember why!), and Hebrew.
The discovery of a box full of high school and West Point yearbooks was a pleasant surprise that immediately brought on a fresh round of nostalgia. This led inevitably, however, to looking up those friends and classmates that are no longer with us making the discovery somewhat bittersweet. I actually had to set those aside for a later time as I still sorely miss some of those brothers and sisters.
The artwork we’d accumulated early on in our marriage was a bit of a surprise as well. I remembered purchasing and mounting several beautiful Napoleonic era prints in gorgeous custom frames, and anxiously awaited their arrival. I’d forgotten, however, just how much of an impression our three years in Alaska had made on us as I found we also own an incredible collection of wolf, bear, moose, and aurora borealis artwork.
But the clothes were, perhaps, the biggest surprise of all. A lifetime’s worth of military gear, all out of date, seemingly from another lifetime. These neatly marked the passage of my career in the Army and each brought its own set of memories at the ranks in which they were worn. The Soviet tanker’s uniform from World War II given to my Mother in Belarus remains a prized possession and I’m glad to have it back. The shipment also contained thick winter jackets useful in Alaska but far too warm for Japan, and more boots than I could easily inventory. It also included my varsity letter jacket from high school … which now, unfortunately, reminds me of the Dwayne Johnson movie Central Intelligence.
The list goes on and on, shedding light on what our lives looked like thirteen years ago. Occasionally an item causes me to stop and stare, lost in memories. Others seem to have been plucked out of thin air and dropped into our home, otherwise forgotten. But all of it, taken together, tells the story of where we’ve been, what we’ve done, and how our interests have changed over time.
Can’t believe how much camping and fishing gear came out of those shipping containers, but the evidence is conclusive. I used to get out much more than I do now. And let’s not even talk about the sizes of the uniform items unpacked … apparently I’ve grown a lot over the past decade, just not vertically! Regardless, it’s been fun—and no small amount of work—digging through our past and reconnecting with our old selves.
Speaking of which, I probably should get back to it, if for no other reason than I need to clear passages between the piles of boxes so we can reach the door. In the meantime, I’d ask you to sit for a few minutes—without iPhone, iPad, or blaring TV—and think about what would emerge from your truck if you were in a similar situation. What would arrive on your doorstep from 10, 15, or 20 years ago? And what would it say about you and your life? It’s worth taking a moment to think about.
M.G. Haynes