Cal, 70, lives alone in his condominium in Fairfax County. He is a widower who is estranged from his adult children. He has lots of “collections” of items that he says he will never part with because they have sentimental value to him. He doesn’t have people over ever, and his trusted neighbor and closest friend, Marybeth, is afraid that he may be depressed and lonely. His health isn’t the best and he might need some assistance in the home in the near future. As a good friend who has been his neighbor for 40 years, Marybeth wants to help Cal, but she is not sure how to go about it. She isn’t sure if he is a hoarder or just someone who is very sentimental about his belongings.

Mementos from a Life Well Lived

It’s amazing how many things you can acquire over the course of a lifetime. From an endless array of knickknacks to photo albums to linens you haven’t used in years, these aren’t just objects, they’re memories of what makes a house a home. Even if you never use certain items, it can sometimes feel like a loss having to part with them due to the memories attached to them.