Re-watching Pixar’s Up (first time watching it with my kids).

I was struck by the moment towards the end of the movie when Carl has to throw everything out of his house so it will be light enough to lift off the ground. The things of his life — all the things that represent the life he lived with Ellie — are not bad, but in order to help Russell and Kevin and Dug, Carl must let go of these possessions. The people in his life are more important than the things.

The movie honors the things of Carl’s life. They aren’t meaningless. The “Adventure Book” is a beautiful object that communicates Ellie’s deep love for Carl. The objects in the house hold memories, and those memories are good.

But the people (and animals) in the here-and-now are still more important than any object, no matter the memories it may evoke. The greatest testament to Ellie’s life isn’t the house or the objects within it, but Carl’s rediscover of the ability to love and care for others.

I really liked how the movie honored the objects (and the house) that helped Carl remember his wife, while at the same time showing how those objects cannot be made more important than the flesh-and-blood relationships in our lives. The image of Carl tied to his house, trying to carry it like Atlas trying to hold up the Earth, is the key metaphor for this idea. We root for him to get the house to the Falls, but at the same time, we can see what a burden carrying that house has become. When he frees himself from that heavy weight, he is finally able to live life to the fullest again, to love someone again.

As I try to tidy my own house, I sometimes have a hard time knowing what to keep and what to give away. I’m not particularly sentimental, but when it comes to my kids’ artwork or books of any sort or certain toys and stuffed animals, I have a hard time letting go. It’s not the stuff, it’s the fact that these things mean so much to my children, and because I love my children, I want to honor their love for these things. I keep the things because I love the people.

Knowing when and how to let go of stuff is tricky. I’m not good at it, frankly. I sometimes wish I had a big life-altering event that would force my hand, like Carl’s adventures with Russell. But we don’t always get to pick our adventures, and not every adventure ends happily.

Instead, I’ll have to find a way to honor the stuff in my life while also focusing on what really matters: the people I love.