Decluttering may be good for you, but I have something useless, stored away in a box and half-forgotten, and I will never throw it away: the key to my late parents’ old home. They left that house twenty-five years ago.

That house … They loved living there, a small ranch home at the end of a cul-de-sac. They enjoyed its wide windows, airy sun porch, and large back yard. My mother planted a flower garden in front and a vegetable garden in back, and together they worked hard to create a charming, comfortable interior. On weekends they would visit nearby parks, go to sporting events, or simply relax at home. They were happy there.

I lived in a nearby city, and I had the key because I could come anytime — always welcome, just walk right in — and I came when I could for holidays and visits.

My parents have died, someone else lives in that house, and I’ll never go back. Someone else might think that an old key is useless, but they never used it to walk into that happy home.

Once, that key opened a door. Now it opens memories.