Sometimes, you don’t need a quiet room or a library to find philosophical insights—you can find them right where you’re standing, in the middle of your everyday moments. Lately, I’ve been living in those moments alongside my little ones. As the school fair comes up, I’ve been rooting around for things to donate, doing my best to support my children’s school. And let me tell you, it’s incredible the treasures and truths you can stumble on when you dig through the past.
In the back of a closet, on an old shelf reserved for “important stuff to use later,” I found stacks of jeans and T-shirts that belonged to my oldest—a handful of pieces I’d held onto, thinking they’d be perfect for my youngest when her time came. Raised to make the most of what we had, I’d thought, “Why buy more? Let’s use these until their last breath.*”
But as I pulled those clothes out, nostalgia hitting me square in the chest, my daughter took one look and shook her head. “Mums,” she said firmly, “these are “boy clothes.” She didn’t mean it harshly, just matter-of-factly. I tried to tell her it was all the same, but she stood her ground: “That’s just not me.”
And right then, in the middle of my cluttered hallway, surrounded by memories and hand-me-downs, I understood something: sometimes, the important lesson is to let go of what we thought was “important.” I’d wanted to pass down what I knew and how I’d been raised. But my daughter taught me that she knows who she is—and that sometimes the best thing you can give is freedom, not expectation.
There’s a place for keepsakes, of course. Some things do need saving, little mementos that carry heartstrings and memories. But for the rest, maybe the answer is to let them go. Donate those “important” items to someone who needs them now, who’ll breathe new life into them.
So here’s to making room for our kids to be themselves, to using only what we need, and to giving what we don’t to someone else. Because sometimes the greatest gift isn’t holding on; it’s letting go.
Stay blessed and remember to support those little school fairs!
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