When my children were young, I desperately searched for creative enrichment opportunities to make them better humans (i.e., activities to fill the time, because elementary-aged children are challenging and exhausting). My friend Rebecca and I would often take our kids to the local “Paint Your Own Pottery” place because (1) it’s fun to paint things, (2) it took lots of time, and (3) it wasn’t cheap, but it wasn’t so expensive that we felt it was an irresponsible investment for our sanity. And we each have a curated collection of pottery painted by our children, spanning MANY years. We have horses, heart-shaped containers, ring stands, monsters, cars, mugs, plates, and more, all painted with different levels of detail, skill, and panache. In its entirety, each household collection is so attractive and fascinating, it’s a wonder MOMA hasn’t called on us yet to be part of their next special exhibit! And this pottery takes up valuable real estate in our homes. Over the years, I have, occasionally, moved said pottery to storage bins so my children can one day, as adults, admire their artwork and I have fewer things to dust on their bedroom shelves in the present. Rebecca had the incredible fortitude and thoughtfulness to pass along her sons’ masterpieces to others in the world who might enjoy having them, and recently donated them to the local “we’ll pick up anything you want to give us” charity. And in Rebecca’s case, that included a hand-painted, professionally glazed multi-colored robot bank, with the artist’s signature “Clark” written on the bottom, much like “Andy” appears on the bottom of Woody’s foot in the movie Toy Story.
There is joy in tidying up and cleaning out. The world embraces the concept of spring cleaning, and there are television shows dedicated to decluttering and organizing and finding happiness while living with less. And as we part with material things we have loved, we find reassurance in knowing that “one person’s trash is another person’s treasure”. Not that all we give away is technically trash, nor am I implying Clark’s robot masterpiece was a piece of trash. Quite the contrary! The robot was a beautiful display of color and creativity and a slim slice of history. But there is something healthy about realizing we no longer have a need to keep something, and then disposing of it, briefly celebrating the extra space we have gained until we start looking for new things to fill it back up. Which is exactly what Rebecca experienced in sharing the robot bank with the world! She realized she no longer had a need to keep the bank, she relaxed knowing it would make another child happy, and she relished the freedom of less clutter! Amen!
And just as there is joy in cleaning out, there is also joy in the hunt, which is why thrift shopping makes one feel a little like Indiana Jones on his quest to recover the long-lost Ark of the Covenant. What I believe makes thrift shopping so exciting is that it’s shopping in a store filled completely with “one of a kind’s” that are affordable, which is so different from the traditional stores that boast inventory of the same items in multiple sizes and colors, and often at high prices. At the thrift store, there is only one vintage Hawaiian print shirt, one Helen Reddy vinyl, one patchwork bucket hat, one tan pleather blazer, and one hand-painted, professionally glazed multi-colored robot bank. Imagine Clark’s older brother’s disbelief and surprise when he was thrift shopping with his friends, and in scouring the store for the next greatest piece of clothing for his wardrobe, the next fun investment in vintage technology, or the next super cool bit of décor for his super cool dorm room, he finds a one of kind, hand-painted, professionally glazed, multi-colored robot bank, signed “Clark”. The universe was definitely laughing! Clark’s brother was laughing too, and he could not resist the opportunity to make the best purchase ever. For $3.17, Clark’s family was again the proud owners of his childhood relic, and like any museum masterpiece on the auction block, the robot bank just increased in value!
So, what is the moral of the story? First, paint your own pottery because it’s fun to be creative and it’s a great opportunity to spend time with friends (and keep children occupied!). Second, find joy in decluttering! We all really can and should live with less; and find reassurance in knowing that what you no longer need or want to keep, will and can make another person in this world very happy. Third, enjoy the hunt and never outgrow the excitement of searching for your next coolest treasure. And finally, know that sometimes the stuff you give away may just come back and find you! Maybe the movie Toy Story wasn’t so far-fetched, and the hand-painted, professionally glazed multi-colored robot bank had real feelings and in some cosmic way, just needed to be back with its human. That thought makes me smile, so let’s just end with that!
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