Can't hold a candle to it

2/17/10 Candle, trashed & recycled

Joanna asked me to make room in the freezer, and I discovered, tucked way in the back corner, a candle holder that my mom made years ago by decorating a glass jar with femo.

I'm not sure if the rest of you keep candles in the freezer, but it's Joanna's main storage place for them. I was a few years into the marriage before I ventured to ask why we had them in there. Turns out that freezing burnt-down candles is the easiest way to get them out of their holders. Oh, now I understand...

(I didn't question the fact that we never seem to get to the stage of taking them out of the freezer.)

Anyway, I took this particular candle out of our freezer, which remains absolutely packed with food given to us to make the early weeks of parenthood a bit easier.

I had a pang of guilt as I instantly decided this was today's downsize. It was a clear choice, but getting rid of something my mother made for me is never easy. (Just ask Joanna.) But, I didn't hesitate as I headed to the trash.

And then, the Downsize Gods intervened to make me feel better.

As I shook the candle out of the holder, a piece of the femo fell off. As I picked at the next piece, it dropped off, too. Within moments, the entire thing deconstructed in my hands. Note to Mom: femo doesn't withstand long exposure to freezing temperature.

So, I tossed the candle and femo chips into the trash and the glass jar into the recycle bin, guilt-free.

I have seen the (candle) light: the hardest downsize choices are usually the right ones. Be ruthless in your downsizing, Dear Readers. It will all work out in the end.