It's been even messier than usual here at Circle K. Last night I sorted through some of the old baby clothes I've been hoarding upstairs. My cousin has a little boy who I've been handing stuff down to, and he's growing again.
Some of the stuff is easy to pass on, but then there's the other stuff. There's the shirts that were Karl's favorites, and the things that have little monkeys. There's the outfits he wore on special occasions or for pictures. When I hold those, I'm back there, and Karl is closer. I can't decide which is stronger, the happy memories or pain of missing him. Both are more real with that physical reminder of what my life was with him.
So each time I go through the boxes I let go of about half of it. It's important to look back, but it's just as important to look forward. If I keep them, what are those tiny clothes going to mean to me later? If I have another baby, will I want to dress him in those same outfits? I think it might be too much, and if I have a partner, who knows how he will feel? Do I really want to store clothes for 20+ years and make Elliot take them for his own kids? These tiny memories with their adorable animal prints and soft, snuggly feelings deserve better.
I want to take the most positive approach, so I pass them on now to a little boy who will wear them and whose parents will add their own special memories, and who will pass them on a little bit at a time, holding on till they can let go, too.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
1 comment:
I have herd of a few people who use old clothes from special occasions to make quilts. Maybe that would be something you could do with those things so that you would always have them but, they would be more usable and easier to store :)
Post a Comment