Yesterday, I decided it was time for some decluttering in Sarah Kate’s room. I labeled two laundry baskets – Give Away and Throw Away – and instructed her to work on filling them up. She required quite a bit of prodding to fill up the Throw Away basket, but eventually she scrounged up enough old papers to make it look respectable. The Give Away basket, by contrast, was overflowing within just a few minutes.
I really wanted her to get rid of a few purses. We call her The Bag Lady because she has so many of them. Most of them are either made of cheap plastic or are actually just gauzy gift bags left over from little girl lip balm and nail polish sets. After much wailing and gnashing of teeth, I finally managed to get the cheapest looking “purse” – a purple and gold monstrosity – into the Throw Away basket and gave up.
This morning on the way to school, Sarah Kate started in on me about the purple purse. She obviously had figured out that I was going to dump the Throw Away basket while she was at school today, and was distraught that the purple monstrosity might be tossed. I went through a litany of reasons why she should get rid of it, and even offered to give her one of my Vera Bradley hipsters to replace it (what can I say – she comes by her Bag Lady tendencies honestly).
The whole exchange went on for several minutes, Sarah Kate desperately trying to convince me that the purple monstrosity should be given away, not thrown away, while I insisted emphatically that no one was going to want it. Exasperated and wanting to end the conversation, I finally blurted out, “Why in the world is throwing it away making you so upset when you’re planning to give it to somebody, anyway?”
Through her tears she wailed, “But Momma, DIDN’T YOU SEE TOY STORY 3?!?!?”
Suddenly, it all came into focus. She didn’t want the purple purse to be cast aside when it could have a whole new life with someone else who could love it. To me, it was worthless, but to her it was a valuable gift she could bestow on someone who would love it and care for it. Yes, I know it’s just a thing, not a person, but it reminded me of how some people look upon others – particularly those with disabilities – as worthless and cast them aside (or worse).
When I got back home, I moved the purple purse to the Give Away basket.
Lesson learned.
I have never seen Toy Story 3, but apparently, it has some good lessons!
Sarah Kate is a girl after my own heart. My mother also refers to me as a bag lady. We claim "Life is all about the search for the perfect purse."
That is one of the cutest things I have ever read. Yes I love Toy Story 3 and it is just adorable she wants to save the purse. You know I have to share this one:) Thanks.