I get attached to things, especially clothing. Being attached means that I wear some things until they are falling apart. Then they are in too bad of shape to donate them to Goodwill. So I have to just throw them away, which seems a horrible thing to do after so many years of good service. There should be a ritual. Lacking one, I’ve started taking pictures of the items before I consign them to the great trash can.
This was my grandfather’s jacket. When I found it in my aunt’s closet it was missing the wool lining, but I wanted it anyway. I loved the contrasting lining and the green color. It was also perfect for my winter in the Pacific Northwest: it kept the rain and wind off of me, but was light enough I didn’t get too hot when walking from place to place. I wore it every day for years. I also had a Chalice Lighter pin on the collar for a time, but it disappeared somewhere along the way.
Now it is frayed at the cuffs and faded. So off it goes. Thank you, lovely jacket, for keeping me warm and dry.
I like this idea of taking pictures of things. I have done that with items and not clothes. Just helps me to let go of the sentimentality I attach to things. I have started to be pretty cavalier about getting rid of my clothes. I will say to Shawn…do you know where my yellow X is? And he will say…I think you donated it… OH! I routinely get rid of stuff. Right now I am working to remove Idaho-ness from my wardrobe. That is to say…I am trying to hip up my look to match the more cosmopolitan citified life I now live. But, I can be honest…there is always a donation pile in our house – even when we lived in ID. I would give an outfit/shirt/skirt (whatever piece of clothing) a last outing and then slip it right into the pile. Sometimes Shawn gets attached to my clothes too…so that gives him a moment of mourning the loss as well! 🙂 Oh how silly it is that we get attached to such temporal things. -S