So, I am helping my brother-in-law slowly remove my sister’s things from the house – we started with the clothing closets and her dresser. I was worried that the emptiness would be too upsetting, so I sorted out the clothing that I know were prized possessions: the t-shirts from all their trips together, the beer t-shirts, the flannel pajamas she snuggled up in, her hawaii shirt, her wedding gown, her mother-of-the-groom dress, etc. I just couldn’t leave the closets completely empty.
And I wrote love notes and attached them to the clothes! Not that I am Sarah and I know what she would have said to her husband, but I wanted there not to be this emptiness in their home. So I replaced the emptiness with what I hope is love – love that will never die.
Her husband appreciated the effort and said it made him laugh and cry. I know there will come a day when all of those things will make it to the donation pile, but for now, I think we have left the best of Sarah’s personality hanging around.
Lastly, as we take this step by step, I am making a professional effort to throw away as little as possible. Sarah was a giver. And I want to honor that spirit. When she went through chemotherapy the first time, she cut her hair and gave 22″ to “Locks of Love.” A friend even gave the family the book “The Giving Tree” as a memory of Sarah’s generosity.
Well, Sarah, I think I have a new milestone in your giving – I am sending your old bras to be recycled! Found them at www.earth911.com. They call themselves The Bra Recyclers and can be found at http://www.brarecycling.com. They send bras out to third world and developing countries. Who knew?!
