The "Bye-Bye" Box.

THE BYE BYE BOX

Today I put my favorite heels in the “bye-bye box” for charity donation.

This is the graveyard for all the items that once were amazing, but no longer are functional for my life.

For years I have held onto these brilliant red heels. I had believed if they could just streeeetch out juuuust a smidge, they would be the best accessory for almost any outfit.

It almost seemed like they had magical powers. These would be the shoes that my future husband would meet me in, these would be the shoes I accepted my next award in, these would be the shoes that had their own theme song when I entered a room, etc.

But, now (sigh…) the peek-a-boo toe that once showcased my glossy and well maintained nails had become a sneak peak of shameful ashy hooves that were undeserving of such a heel.

Never should an engorged purple toe be on display.

These were the shoes that would want to walk away from my feet.

Yet, still I held on to the hope that my feet would shrink in winter.  

If this happened I declared, my peek-a-boo toe would have to suffer the cold.

But, reality hit.

Never should a blue, frost bitten toe be on display, either.

I realized I have held onto them for too long. All they do is take up space (along with many other pairs of “life changing” items) in my closet.

As I headed toward the “bye-bye box’, I was afraid I would hit another dreaded milestone in my descending spiral from youth. Sarcastically, I thought of tossing any panties that I had ever dreamed of anyone else seeing besides my daughter or my OBGYN.

 I thought, “Screw it. Might as well toss in my moisturizer, hair color, toothbrush- all of it.” But, to my surprise, I realized I actually felt a burden lifted as I tossed those red heels in.

Then, I begin wondering what ELSE I needed to say “bye-bye” to.

Before too long, the box was full.

Next to the red heels were the neon yoga pants, the two-tone turtle neck, the leg warmers (current season or vintage- couldn’t tell). Then, I moved to the hall closet. Good bye Mario brothers hand held game, Aunt Maggie’s yearly Christmas gift of assorted itchy wool scarves, that old VHS player (just “in case”)… Then I got enthusiastic. Hands like a windmill tossing items- “peace out last seasons white pleather jacket, see ya later to my daughters ziplock bag of hair from her first cut, my exes letters and dried flowers, my sons first cast…..Wait what? Damn. This just got real serious. What am I”????

I was like a memory hoarder!

The more I tossed the cleaner and lighter I felt.

Whew. When I finished, it was six hours and a few glasses of wine later. BAM. DONE. FREEEEEEE!

Amazing how one dreaded decision of getting rid of something I “couldn’t live without” was so liberating! I was still fabulous and I would find a new pair of red amazing life changing heels. I would actually be able to wear.

The moral of the story is that I held on to a whole bunch of items that reminded me of what I wasn’t, that took up too much space and basically were useless. It was the fear of letting them go that was scary. That in some small way I would lose a part of myself in the process. But, it was the exact opposite.

Now…

If only there were a “bye-bye box” for people.

J Missy