Gifts that Keep on Giving

September Writing Challenge - Prompt #8:

Hand-Me-Downs

I’m a consumer, like most people, and buy way too much stuff. However, I really like second-hand items and giving things a new purpose.

For that reason, I definitely want to be an organ donor and would even be okay with my body being donated to science (organ donation first, though. According to what I’ve researched, I likely won’t be useful for science after my organs have been donated, but if there’s anything they want, they can have it). What better way to honor me in death than providing my parts with usefulness after I’m done with them? 

Second-hand items are gifts that keep on giving. For most of our married life, Scotty and I have been very blessed by hand-me-downs, be it furniture, clothes, or tools and machinery. We used Scotty’s grandpa’s lawn mower for almost 20 years. Our kitchen table is Scotty’s other grandpa’s. We’ve cycled through several used couches from family and friends. We’ve all dressed in hand-me-down clothes from lots of different people who have been willing to share.

Kitchen table (but it has since been repainted)

In fact… funny story:

A few weeks ago my friend Lori asked if Daisy and I would like some clothes she was getting rid of. Heck yes, we did! (Lori has cute clothes and happens to also be a shopaholic, so her hand-me-downs are a gold mine). I picked out some clothes to try on and then Daisy picked out some clothes to try on. While Daisy was trying on jeans, she found a $100 bill in the pocket! I figured we better let Lori know (my conscience got the best of me while Daisy wanted to keep it and use it to buy more clothes!) I texted Lori and said “You’re never going to believe this!” (She didn’t - I had to convince her to take the money).

Lately we’ve also gotten a lot of hand-me-downs from my friend Laurel. I say that she is our family clothier because she has given clothes to almost all of us. I also joke that I have to stay active in the Church because I have to work my way through all of her dresses. 

Second-hand couch from my sister-in-law that we got many years out of

I’ve also been the recipient of pretty much an entire wardrobe from my friend Shannon. She has (more than once) brought me bins and bins of clothing. I’ve also helped my friend Trixie thin her closet. Heck, I've even worn my brother's old clothes!

Second-hand bed from my parents that we are still using (and it's over 30 years old)

When Daisy was born, hand-me-downs were a lifesaver because we didn’t find out what we were having, so we didn't have any clothes for a girl. As soon as Daisy was born, so many gracious friends rolled in with second-hand baby clothes. We got hooked up! And they continued bringing stuff for years and years. Since we had two more girls, we really got the best out of all those clothes (we didn't find out what we were having with Zoe, either, but we did find out with Eva).

So know, dear friends, that your hand-me-downs in all forms have always been put to good use and well-loved. I try to pay it forward by giving things to people when I can. Someday maybe it will be my lungs or my heart, but hopefully I get to use those for a really good while still.