I stopped using different types of plastic pencil cases because they spoiled easily, and I bought 2 metal pencil cases when I was studying in secondary school and I have been using them until I have finished my university studies.

Metal pencil cases are more durable.  Both of my metal pencil cases are still usable except they are rusty now.

I am going to send them to a recycle center because I do not need them anymore.  Before that, I took their photos as the only memory that I will keep.  By doing this, they can be turned into more useful things and be used by others, it also saves my space for keeping things just because of wanting to keep a memory.

I remember a story of Doraemon, there is a camera which can turn any object into photo and restore the photo back to the object by pouring water on the photo.  There is also a torch light which can shrink anything.  They are good ways to save space but may not be feasible in the coming decades or centuries.

“Happy Time” (Secondary Form 2 to 3) and “Secret Message” (Secondary Form 4 to university).  The secret message in the pencil case is - “Boys be ambitious.”

Each of them were actually dual-layer, but I removed the dividers from them to make them having bigger storage space.  And now, I have forgotten where the dividers have gone to, may be I had thrown them away.

I got some flags (stickers) during my school time for giving donation to some societies.  Every time, I would stick them inside my pencil case.  You can see how many flags I have collected.  Some of the flags have turned yellowish.

Recently I met a friend of my brother, he always mentioned an idiom in Chinese,”ShengBuDaiLai, SiBuDaiQu“.  It means “we did not bring the things with us when we were born, we also cannot take the things with us when we leave this world.”  It is true, and it includes money, and any objects that we like while we are staying in this world.

Therefore, I have decided not to keep my pencil cases anymore.  Recently, I have been throwing away many things.  For the things that can recall my memories, do you think I should keep it or just take their photos?

I have another question for you.  Will you keep some things that were given as gifts / birthday presents by your friends even it is not useful?  I found that keeping this type of things take up a lot of space, and I have to take lots of time removing dust from them.  Why not give to others who need it or recycle it or fill the hungry rubbish bin?  Do you agree?