Lost and Found

Did you ever look through the lost and found at a kids' private school? The wealth and variety of objects, mostly clothes, that are discarded and forgotten can be staggering. Every item left behind was once purchased, was once meant to clothe, protect, embellish or otherwise support a child, yet the child was easily able to forget about that item, attach little meaning to it, and move on. That same wealth of discarded items often moves on to new owners, to kids who need them more in some other environment.

I can't help but be reminded of this as I am clearing out my closet, discarding items I once thought I couldn't live without, discarding items purchased in order to try out some aspect of my personality which no longer fits or never did, discarding the memories often associated with the purchases. I can see in this discard pile my use of the practice of retail therapy, and the short-lived effect of that practice. I can see, too, in what's not in this pile that in general I know myself pretty well, that while I make some fashion mistakes, in general I make choices which ring true to who I am. Forgiving those mistakes, letting go of them like a kid who leaves behind an unwanted sweatshirt, feels pretty liberating. Next on the list? That personal baggage!