Spending Tokens of a Story I Am Laying to Rest

During my first hospitalization in 2002, a strange ritual began. My boyfriend at the time gave me a Susan B. Anthony dollar. It was a kind of honoring, and token for my trouble, with a somewhat light-hearted intent to appeal to my sentimentality. This would continue for every other hospitalization I would experience for the duration of our relationship. I had a nice collection by the end of it. I was hospitalized more after that, but did not carry on the tradition.

While packing for my upcoming move today, I came across a bag of coins of varying types. The dollars were there, about 5 of them. I don't know how long it has been since I've seen them, at least a few years, but I made a decision; I was going to spend them.

Sure enough, I did just that. In this time of trying to raise money for my journey, I am not finding myself in a situation to spend on luxuries. But tonight, I took myself to dinner. Yes, I spent those dollars on a healthy meal at a local cafe. It was very liberating, as if I was setting something free. And I was. I let loose some old memories with an identity locked away in them.

It is time to move on. That is exactly what I am doing.