How Old Is Your Baby?

I don't know about you, but I'm constantly driving through my local Goodwill donating clothes that we've outgrown or grown tired of.  It seems I'm up at Goodwill at least on a weekly basis.  I hate to admit it, but I'm a bit of a pack rat.  Open up one of our closets and you'll wonder why this small family of three has so much stuff.  Well, that's because I don't do a very good job of letting go.

On Friday I again hit Goodwill.  You're not going to believe this, but I had six medium ziptop bags of clothes filled with my daughter's baby things.  The bags were filled with soft blankets, handknit sweaters and hats, bonnets, cute dresses, and tiny booties et cetera, et cetera, et cetera.

The day before I had unzipped the clear bags and surprisingly the clothes smelled just as clean as the day I had washed and packed them all away.  I savored the scent and saved a knit hat or two, some bunny booties, and a bonnet. Pretty good for a pack rat.  I vowed the rest of the bags were going.

That morning, I loaded the bags into the Explorer.  On my way home from work, I stopped at the Goodwill drive-through and laid all of the bags along the curbside. 

That's when my plan fell to pieces ...
   

I began rummaging through the bags like a deranged woman, unsure of what to retrieve. The attendant looked at me like I was a martian from another planet. The people behind me were not happy campers. Cars were beginning to back up along the side of the store.   

I thought I had emotionally prepared myself to part with my daughter's things, but I was about to lose it and breakdown at my local Goodwill.

Right then and there, the kindest woman came to my aid.  I explained to her that I was having a hard time discarding my daughter's things.  She looked at me with sweet understanding and immediately helped me pull out what she called "the treasures."  Mostly the handmade sweaters, caps, and booties. Together we filled what amounted to one bag.

Then she asked me, "How old is your baby?" 

"Seventeen," I replied, as we both burst out laughing. 

Leaving the scene, I looked at her apologetically and declared, "I'm pathetic, aren't I?

Without hesitation she said, "No, you're adorable!" 

On my way home, my eyes filled with tears as I thought about my baby who is off to Carolina in the Fall.  It has been a joyful ride raising Kelly and watching her flourish.  Now it is her time and I'm prepared to let her go.

But apparently, I'm having a more difficult time with her things ... 

I thought about that lovely woman at Goodwill.  That only a mother could have understood.  And that I hope she had a wonderful Mother's Day.

This beautiful mixed media painting of Mother and Child is by Sascalia.  Her blog can be found at Sascalia.blogspot.com and her work can be purchased on Etsy.