What’s the most random item you’ve kept for sentimental reasons?

I kept a sachet of artificial sweetener given to me randomly one afternoon by a friend I had a crush on. Neither of us used the stuff, we were just being silly.

I had it for a couple of years and kinda forgot about it, then the friend killed themself and it became unthinkable to get rid of it. Maybe a decade later I could finally bring myself to see it as just a pack of stale chemicals and throw it out.

It's an egg shaped piece of marble from my mother, which is now sitting on my desk. It used to have a sticker labelled 'Echt Marmor' which means 'real marble' in german. I think it is older than I am. My mother is still around, but I've moved quite far away and this egg is currently my only keepsake.

I have a flyer for an event that my highschool crush gave me and I jokingly told her I'd treasure it forever.

I guess I'm just not a guy who can go back on a promise like that.

I have the knob off my first oven. When it burnt out my landlord opted to buy a new one instead of getting a new coil so I swiped the knob. It was the oven and stove I taught myself to cook on, I wouldn't be who I am today of I hadn't had to spend every night guessing the temp from that worn out knob.

On my first day of grade 8, the science teacher asked if anyone had a bill for a demonstration. I volunteered my $5 bill. He proceeded to douse it in some chemical and torch it, to the amusement of the class. It burned for a few seconds but the bill was unharmed. At first I didn't spend it because I liked the story, but now I also won't spend it because it's the last paper bill I have (all Canadian bills have been plastic for a while).

A blanket my mom made me that's as old as me. That blanket kept me warm when I was little and I'll never get rid of it 😌

I (a guy) think I still have a small plastic off-brand Lego in my desk. I spent a weekend with my high school crush and we found a bunch of them and had goofy fun with them.

Last I heard she'd moved away, married a woman, and had a successful career in science. I doubt she thinks of me, but I'm glad she did well.

My deceased mom’s drivers license. Carry it with me in my wallet.

A chunk of glass that I found walking to school one day in like 1997. It's like an inch thick. No idea where it would have came from. If I can find a picture when I get home I will upload it. Now it just reminds me of childhood wonder.

Little magnetic shopping list board that sticks on the fridge. Lost a really wonderful dog a few years ago and had written a list for her that included a lot of quality of life stuff for her final days.

After she passed, I just never wrote on that board again. It got packed and moved to a new house where it sits once again on the refrigerator. Time has hardened the ink on the board and it won't come off again, but I just physically can't throw it away.

It's stupid. She's been gone 4 years now. I'm just powerless xD

One of my gran’s handkerchiefs. It’s monogrammed with her initials and it’s the only thing of hers I have. Don’t worry, it’s clean and I never use it. 😁

Found a massive pine cone in Rome when I visited about 24 years ago.

Not really sure why I kept it but I did.

I'm late here but felt like sharing my goblin tendencies too. I've actually got a lot of random shit that I collect and keep in a box, thought I would take a couple of my favourites out. Sorry for potato quality picture, I have a potato quality phone.

• A plasticky spiked collar that a stripper I used to party with and had a huge crush on took off from her neck on put on mine one night. And no, I'm not the strip club type and never even watched her work, her and her colleagues and friends used to frequent the metal/alternative club that I haunted. 15 to 20 years ago. Actually I'm not that old yet, more like 10 to 15 years ago.
• A card with a witch that I found lying on the ground probably also around 15 years ago. Says "creative child games" on the back.
• A completely washed away and blank puzzle piece that I also picked up off the ground somewhere.
• A round rock with the word "Safety" written on it that was randomly handed to me by a hippie girl at a music festival years ago.
• A very poorly cut black tourmaline (or so I was told) that I bought at a flea market for way too much money while tripping balls on ecstacy. That was while I was still in my hippie phase so very close to 20 years ago.
• Lucky beans! I've just always loved them since I was a kid and have bunch floating around. I've even put some in the linings of one of my jackets.

I've actually been a boring hermit for at least the last 10 years, so I'm running out of trinkets with cool stories attached to them though.

I have a small piece of scrap rebar on my kitchen window leftover from when we had the foundation fixed.

I wear a black ring with the initials of a person who I thought would be with me till the day I die. They left me a bit ago but I still wear this as the only gift I ever got from this person. I hope they're doing good wherever and however they are

I've a small fractured chunk of cast iron from the first vehicle I replaced an engine in.

A buttplug containing the ashes of my passed boyfriend

A steel carabiner. I used it as a belt for so long it now lives in the belt draw.

A rock.

A rock that is flatter than it is thick. In college my friend picked it up and wrote PUNK on it. It became punk rock. We ended up becoming best friends and roommates for the rest of college and I ended up with the punk rock when we graduated. Fast forward many years and I hosted a party he attended. When he departed I gifted him with the punk rock. Its something insignificant but means so much.

I don't have a brother but he's as close as it gets.

My high school report cards. (From 1983.)