AN INSPIRATION FOR

LETTING GO OF

SENTIMENTAL CLUTTER

 

I received this in my daily digest from the Flylady Mentors and thought it might also prove inspirational for members, here.

 

Subject: Blessing with our Wedding Gowns

Dear Friends,
This is a wonderful idea. Here is a testimonial about what to do with
our dear friends (our wedding gowns) that have been hermetically
sealed for .........

FlyLady

*********************************

Dear FlyLady,

I have been a flybaby for about a year and have made many wonderful
changes in my life and home since then.  (Thanks)  Your musing about
our closets struck a chord with me and I would like to share my
experience with my wedding gown.

My wedding gown and I have a history together.  It began 8 years
ago.  From the time I searched for her, found her, tried her on for
my mom (who is now gone) and best friends, to putting her on the day
of my wedding, to having my husband see me in this beautiful
creation, to dancing and laughing with her, to taking her off and
having her cleaned and preserved in what has been described to me as
a "coffin." 

That should have been where we said goodbye.  But I kept her with me
through seven moves through three states.  Each time looking for a
place to put her. She ended up in my bedroom closet.  This box was
large - as many know and quite cumbersome to get around.  I was
reminded of a wonderful time everytime I saw the "box" but so what -
I have pictures!  And they are a LOT smaller.

Would I ever wear the dress again? I thought to myself - a flylady
criterion for keeping things?  Definitely NO.  Would my daughter (now
inutero) want to wear this in the year 2030?  Pretty sure NO.  Strike
two.  Could I bless someone with this dress?  Absolutely YES! 
Homerun!  I decided there must be a way to bless someone else with
this dress so I began my research.  Most consignment shops will only
take this year's or last year's dresses no matter how "timeless" we
believe our own dresses to have been.  Then I found the "Making
Memories Breast Cancer Foundation" and knew that I could fly
higher at last.  These wonderful people auction the dresses and
donate the money to breast cancer.  I slapped a label on that box and
mailed it (with a delivery confirmation) and said a happy tearful
good bye.

Please encourage more flybabies to look into this super
organization.  It can be found on the web at www.makingmemories.org. 
They will send a confirmation of receipt along with their tax
information.  You can deduct the value of the dress (not the price
you paid) and the postage cost to mail it.

And, thank you, thank you!

Flying a bit higher in Mass.