A "Stuff Story" from Kristen

Finding joy in giving it away

<Welcome to Sandwich Season, where I explore the burdens and blessings of life in the sandwich generation—in the hopes of encouraging others in similar seasons.>

Hi friends—

Here’s the best thing about writing Sandwich Season: You all remind me again and again that I Am Not Alone! What a gift. Thank you. ❤️

I’d like to introduce you to my friend Kristen Anderson. She’s one of the people who have helped me feel not-so-alone in this season … and, come to think of it, in many previous seasons as well.

Kristen and Sarah, Tamil Nadu, India, 1990; and again, Bemidji, Minnesota, 2024

When Kristen and I were biology majors at St. Olaf College, we spent the first semester of our senior year doing research in South India. The photo on the left shows us riding in the back of a lorry (truck), both wearing Kathmandu T-shirts, acquired on a side trip to Nepal.

That was quite a trip. With no smartphones, TVs or other gadgets beyond a cassette tape player we finally acquired, we and the others in our group spent a lot of our time regaling each other with stories ... and having experiences that have become the stories we still tell today.

Funny thing: Kristen and I were both biology majors … and then Kristen became an artist, and I, a writer. Three and a half decades later, we’re both experiencing a sandwich season ...

And that’s why I’m introducing Kristen today. She has a story to share with you. More specifically, a sandwich season Stuff Story. Let me tee it up …

A major part of this season of life seems to involve Dealing With Stuff. We find ourselves emptying out houses and garages full of boxes and drawers and closets and file cabinets and ... you know how this goes. Yeeeees, some of the stuff is ours. But the rest of it has been building up, sometimes over generations, as I shared here:

Generations of stuff

On the upside, this process of sorting and selling and gifting sometimes brings bright shiny moments, like the one I shared in February of an old family quilt that I finally released into the world … and which made a surprising reappearance:

Here’s why you should let that heirloom go

When Kristen read that story, she sent me a voice memo sharing how she let go of a bulky item that had been weighing her down for her entire life.

She said I could share her story with you, and I bet you will find it as entertaining—and inspiring—as I did.

“Kristen’s Indonesian Chest Sale Story”

Give it a listen!

The Indonesian chest. Kristen's suggested caption is "Not my vibe." If you look closely at the lid, you can see two heads bobbing in a large vat.

Thank you, Kristen! ❤️

By the way, Kristen is a gifted fiber artist and has an exhibition showing May-June 2025 in Ely, Minnesota. You can learn more and see more of her work in “10 Questions with Kristen Anderson.” And you can find her here, at Cardamom Studio.

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Tell us: What’s the best thing you ever sold, tossed or gave away? How did it make you feel?

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With all best wishes to you and yours,

Sarah

Still Here, felt tapestry by Kristen Anderson

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Registration for the June obit workshop is open!

We’ll be writing an obituary—either for you or a loved one—in this two-session workshop June 16 and 23, 2025. More information here:

Let's write an obit!

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Near Grand Forks, ND? Join us next Thursday

If you happen to be near Grand Forks, North Dakota, next Thursday, stop by the Empire Arts Center for a celebration of Japanese culture.

I’ll be there to help you play the koto (Japanese zither) and will be doing a very short reading from my Japan memoir. And you can try your hand at anime drawing or pose wearing a yukata (summer kimono) and more.

Then, we’ll enjoy a screening of Perfect Days, a 2023 movie about the thoughtful life and routines of a toilet cleaner in Tokyo. (Highly recommended!)

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The Same Moon drawing is NOT this week

Reminder: Everyone who becomes a paid subscriber by May 15, 2025 JUNE 16, 2025, will be entered in a drawing to win one of two (or more) copies of my Japan memoir, The Same Moon. (Why this? Why now? It’s a 5-year book-iversary!)

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