Still clearing out

Today I tackled the hall closet.  It's not a large space, but deep enough that things end up in the back when covered by the jackets hanging in front.  I came across things I didn't remember having, things I have no idea why I bought them, and large and unwieldy things that I will give to Goodwill, if I can get them down and into my car.  It's amazing to see the floor again.

My blip is of blueberries, laying in a cherished bowl.  It is one of a set of three hand-thrown North Carolina pottery bowls that were a gift from close friends when I finished my degree.  North Carolina is famous for its pottery, and I used to enjoy browsing the shops in Chapel Hill.

The day I took my doctoral orals was a strange one.  The exam itself went very well - the professors liked me and thought my work was valuable and well-written.  A friend who was the outside examiner at the orals took me to lunch to celebrate, then headed off to teach a class.  There was nothing I had to do until the party for me that evening, and I suddenly felt completely lost. It was as if, after six years focused solely on getting my degree, I no longer had any reason for existing, and it was devastating. It was the worst feeling I have ever had.  Fortunately one of my cohort was at home and hugged me for a long time until I began to feel human again.  You'd think that, as a psychologist, I'd have anticipated the letdown, but it took me by surprise.