Saying adieu to to the stuff

The Leukemia Society is coming by today to pick up all our unwanteds. I went on a clearing-out binge last night and filled bag after bag with things that were just taking up space.



Gone are the games I've had since childhood that no one ever plays.

The skillet that wouldn't ever sit flat on the stove, and therefore cooked unevenly.

The beautiful Ralph Lauren dress that is still very much a classic, even though I bought it 10 years ago. I haven't been able to fit into it in 5 years, and I've finally resigned myself to the fact that it will probably never fit again.

The jazz pants that I wore in high school for dance. I found them buried at the bottom of a pile of sweatpants I haven't worn in a billion years because who wears sweatpants anymore?

The leggings that everyone thought were so cool in college when paired with a massively-large t-shirt. Many All-University Sing practices saw the use of those leggings, which I still had for some unfathomable reason.

The button-down shirts that are such pretty colors, but are from the days of too-big clothing. Those size smalls are the equivalent of today's extra-large, and as such, will never be worn again.

The crystal goblets that I bought my sophomore year of college. I had (and still have) my parents' old wedding china, and I wanted pretty goblets to go with them for when I cooked a special dinner for the boyfriend who has been long-gone from my life.

But what I'm left with, besides some empty spaces in my closet, is that feeling of clarity one gets when clearing the clutter. It's more than just emptying the house; it's about letting go of the physical reminders of things that are nothing more than memory now. It's a feeling of freedom from no longer being chained to things that no longer serve a purpose beyond remembering, and I can do that without keeping a pile of leggings at the bottom of my closet.

Maybe some woman who feels bad about her body image will go into a thrift shop, buy one of my shirts, and feel good about herself because the shirt's tag says she can fit into a size small. Maybe some college kid will find those old leggings and wear them to a fun sorority or fraternity thing where she has to dress in a costume. Maybe some little kids will find joy in playing those games that involve no batteries, screens, or joysticks. Maybe those crystal goblets will bless some young couple just starting out in life.

And maybe I'll understand yet again what Jesus meant when he said it is more blessed to give than to receive.