One time, when I got married . . . okay the time that I got married . . . a really good friend of mine got up to speak at the rehearsal dinner. This is one of those old time friends, who've you've known forever, who I knew in college, since day one FRESHMAN YEAR in college, who knows everything about you. Even all the old crap you have always had.
So this wonderful, long-time friend was staying at my place, in my room (where was I staying? . . . I can't even remember now!) and had access to, you know, the run of the place . . . including my closet.
And she stood up at the rehearsal dinner - and it is probably worth noting here that I got married a LONG TIME after freshman year of college - and the first thing she says is, "When we were in college, Kris had this old, full-length, blue terry cloth robe. It was HORRIBLE. She'd had it at least since junior high. She kept it the entire time we were in college. (pause for drama)
And I noticed in her closet last night that there is STILL an old, blue, full-length terry cloth robe. (pause again)(laughter, unfortunately) Please, please, Kris, tell me that's not the same one!"
Well, of course it was the same one. I don't think I'd worn it since college. In fact, I don't think I'd worn it since junior high. But there it hung! In my closet! Because it was perfectly good, and do you know how long it takes to wear out a 1970's terry cloth robe? That you never wear? A REALLY LONG TIME.
But after that speech I realized, I can let it go! I can let it go. No, it is not worn out, Yes, it is technically perfectly good (in a dated, 21-year old terry cloth robe kind of way) but I could let it go. Let someone else get the last forty years of use out of it.
I'd like to say I've continued to get rid of my old crap ever since - but that's not exactly true. But I have been better! Oh, WAY better. (I still sometimes
But here's the lesson I learned with the blue terry cloth robe: I can get rid of it even if it's still good.
That's something.
