Email Resources

My email sent folder has 6327 messages in it.
I know, right?
I used to empty it on a regular basis but, um, let's just say it got away from me. It's on my list to deal with "someday."  The reason I don't dump huge chunks on a regular basis is because I know I'll want some of it for my journal...if I ever get around to updating it.
This afternoon the LDS missionaries knocked on my door and we sat on the patio drinking lemonade for awhile.  During our conversation we talked about various chapters in the Book of Mormon and I told them about my trip to see archeological ruins last March.  I suddenly realized that when my computer was attacked by that plague/virus in June, I had lost all my notes from the trip.  I have the photos because my sweet daughter saved them on her Photobucket account.  But the notes were....all gone.  I really hadn't thought of it until this afternoon.
Then I remembered that I had emailed my notes to someone - and I DO NOT DELETE MESSAGES IN MY SENT FILE.
So I scrolled through the messages back to late March and - there they were.  They are now saved on my hard drive as well as in my email account.
And I'm glad I don't delete messages.