This was so beautiful and tender. It made me think of my own mom and childhood spent in thrift stores with her. I still rarely spend more than $10 on ANYTHING thanks to her lessons.
I love it! I wasn't taught these lessons sadly, I learned them from a lack of guidance that turned into a need to be thrifty but also a need to be creative.
You're my soul sister girl. I was raised on thrift stores, yard sales, garage sales...I was w my mom at a garage sale in chilly weather before sunrise. Waiting in wet grass w canvas tennies. The cold dew soaked thru my shoes and made my toes hurt. I worked at a thrift store. The store managers name was Hope. She put some in everything she sold. People came to that store to see her as much as they came to shop. More. I came because, as sad as I would be sometimes, she always made me laugh. Always.
This is how my mom and I went shopping, many times when I am at a thrift store I ask her if it looks good before buying it. Thank you for such a beautiful piece!
Thrift shops are my favourite places to tell stories. I like to pretend to know where all the things i buy came from, and it leads to some pretty inspirational stuff. It's also just fun.
"A rich girl once told me she didn't shop in thrift stores because they were 'sad places' and immediately I picture myself, trotting along 'side me mom at the community thrift one the south side, the dusty heaven that produced all my toys and dresses. I remember, 'this will be' some Natalie Cole or Otis Reding or Earth Wind and Fire shooting from the speakers, my mom humming about ever lasting love while scouring through the kitchen utensils, and I know the rich girl is wrong. Thrift stores are anything but sad. Mom had rules when I was young. pants should be under 10 dollars, shirts; less than 5 a good jacket maybe 15 or 20. I'm not sure if she made these rules or inherented them, like I did, but I take them with me where ever I go. Know, that a women who came before you knew that you would need guidance so she gifted you from her tired palms her oldest blueprints for existing. The women in my family have always been the most original; trust them to find a way to do something when every easy option is gone. Turn the blouse backwards, and now it fits better. Roll up the sleeves; remove shoulder pads; Learn to sew so you can hem your own clothes. What can you create when the only thing in front of you is your hands? How fast can you think? How deliberate can you be? Can you imagine something better than what you have then make the thing you have better? Who taught you to make solution where there is none? Who was it who said 'adapt or die?" And did they meet my mother? Queen of couponing and early morning yardsales before the Texas heat brushes the back of the neck. When I tell you department store overwhelm me, what I mean is, 15% off is not a sale. I'm not even sure why they have sales because I'm not showing up 'til it all goes on clarence. Mom says, 'Everything goes on clarence.' Mom also says the only things you should buy new are shoes and underwear, that just because you don't have money doesn't mean you can't be sanitary. Don't leave the store until you've seen everything; the selection changes everyday, every 24 hours a handful of new chances to become an artist. My mom says she used to write poetry. My father, when he was alive, was a dancer. Did I learn grace, or was it passed through the blood? Have I always creative and practical? Today, I bought 2 sweaters, 2 belts, and a mason jar for 3 dollars; texted my mom, 'thinking of you.'"
