When our girls were little we would set aside a weekend every few months to go through "the box." It was a large, heavy duty container that had once been used to ship computer components and was now storing the considerable stacks of clothes, shoes and boots we had been given by families whose children had outgrown them. Since the items represented a wide array of sizes it was best to go through the box quite regularly and have the girls try on things that just a few months earlier may have been the wrong size.
Of course the prelude to this task was going through the clothes in the girls' closets and removing the ones they had now outgrown. We felt fortunate to have the box to go through and conveniently replenish what was needed. It also meant we had bags of clothing we could now pass on to another family whose children were a bit younger than ours.
When we examine and get rid of items we are no longer needing or using it is not only practical but rather freeing as well. When it comes to unneeded clothing those benefits are felt all around. It is also an early lesson in giving that children can be part of and play a significant role in. It's the kind of baggage that we want to ensure gets shared.
We've been told we all carry loads of emotional baggage that can burden us and everyone around us unless dealt with properly. It sits as unwanted obstacles in our paths and gives rise to unbidden emotions. The dysfunction that can result could lead to painful experiences, destructive decisions and even lost opportunities. But that isn't where it needs to stay.
One of the fun things about the box was that each time we went back to it we discovered something new. Perhaps tastes had changed and made something look different, perhaps there were items we didn't think would fit and weren't worth trying, or perhaps there were items that we simply had overlooked. The same is true in our lives. As we change, as we grow, as we learn, things look different--at least if we're willing to take another look.
The painful thing that happened can be like a straight-jacket that traps us and keeps us from making any forward movement. The obstacles we can't get past can be like pants that are too big and the legs just keep dragging us down. The decisions that we make as a result can be like shoes that are too tight. Despite the warning signs we keep trying to do the same things over and over--even though the pinching is a telltale sign we are on the wrong path.
As we unpack the box, just like we unpack the emotions, we just might discover something that fits better. Yes, the pain is real, but so is what has been learned in the process that can turn that straight-jacket into a better fitting coat. Yes, the obstacles thrown our way seem way too big until we try on different solutions and find the one that will take us over the top. And no, it isn't easy getting back on the right path if we're wearing shoes that keep us from making the leap. But when we're willing to throw off what kept us stuck we can find ourselves free from the constraints and open to new and better opportunities.
We need to dig deep into the box of possibilities. There we might just discover something unexpected--something that instead of looking like baggage can now look like the surprise of a lesson learned about ourselves and a story that now fits us better because we were able to write the next chapter. The important thing is that we make the effort to go through the box. To fail to do so is to miss out on the things that may have added beauty to our life, a better fit to our experiences, and style that cannot be surpassed because it is us at our best. That's my outlook.
