An open letter from that one box you haven't unpacked since you moved in four years ago

You know the one.

Hi! Hello there.

I was hoping that I could have just a moment of your time.

It’s me. Yes, right over here, in the corner of the dining room. You know, the box.

Remember me? You set me here when you moved into this house, along with all of the other things you were moving in. Gosh, that was a busy day, wasn’t it? Getting loaded onto that big truck, driven across town, and then unloaded—and it was so hot!

[friendly chuckle]

Yes, quite a day indeed.

But it was a happy day, both for you and for me. I didn’t care much for that last place, and I know you didn’t either; the windows were drafty, the basement had mice, and the landlord was—if I can be frank—a bit of a prick. So it was welcome news when you bought this house; sure, it’s a few miles further out from downtown, but it’s newer and nicer and—most importantly—it was your very own.

What a momentous occasion.

I could see how much it energized you. You lit up when talking about all the things you could do with this place—the DIY projects y…