Goodwill Hunting

I spent the last several days in Greenville, SC with Mom and Pops. It's amazing how the little things in life make me smile... laying in the bed and daydreaming as I stare at the ceiling (I did not realize how dirty ceilings can be); spending hours on the internet browsing Yahoo! so I can stay current on entertainment news (Way to play that guitar, Sandra Bullock. You rock!); and sneaking in extra minutes to run around the track or neighborhood. Regardless of what I do, I truly enjoy my freedom. I really believe that PhD means, praise Him daily. Thank you, God, because that is what I have been doing since May 19th!

Coming home is always nice. This time, I really paid attention and observed Mom’s routine. One hobby that Mom has made part of her routine is daily visits to the Goodwill Store. I am amazed at Mom's excitement as she is one of the serious shoppers (a.k.a. vultures) lined up in the early morning hours ready to find the latest item to add to her humble abode. Every time I come home, it is amazing how Mom has redecorated her house with all the cool stuff that she gets from Goodwill. I mean it is really nice! You would think that she shops at Pier One or Bed, Bath, and Beyond. I tell you the deals are great at Goodwill. I am impressed. I really feel that Mom should buy stock in Goodwill. She would clean up!

Speaking of cleaning up, one reason I came home was to collect household items that I left with Mom and Dad over 4 years before departing for Alaska. I know...so sad. I also realized that I had to make room for Mom as she continues to feed her Goodwill Store addiction.
As I was going through my stuff, I thought of having a garage sale. However, Mom recommended that I boxed the items that I did not want and take them to Goodwill. At first, I hesitated. The Lord knows that I need some extra cash to pay the bills until that first paycheck hits my checking account. I was pressed for time and I was not in the mood to organize a garage sale. Mom then mentioned two magical words that made me an instant fan of Goodwill...TAX WRITE-OFF!


So, off I went. I gathered stuffed animals, clothes, kitchen supplies, and dining/living room knick knacks. Before I knew it, I have several boxes labeled and was ready to drive to Goodwill. It was also a nice thought that a child, and even an adult, would find usefulness from things that I really did not need anymore. Most importantly, I was cleansing myself of unnecessary clutter and will be credited by Uncle Sam and the Lord. The Lord? Well...I can't take it with me when I leave this Earth. So, I felt God smiling at me because tax write-off or not, it was still difficult to part ways with some of my most precious items. And I was able to do it! So, yay!, for me!


Well...where does the goodwill hunting come in? So, one thing that I discovered about donating to Goodwill is that it can be quite addicting. There is a slight twist for me in making Goodwill shopping a hobby...something that I like to call Goodwill hunting. While Mom likes to visit the store daily and buy items (no doubt...great bargains), I discovered my new hobby…trying to find ways of giving away items in an effort to de-clutter. I had so much fun giving away my stuff that I was ready to move to the advance stages of giving things away other people’s belongings. I really do think it was an act of goodwill in the fact that Mom and Dad had items tucked away in the garage for years. So, as Pops and I were loading up my U-HAUL trailer with things that did not make it to Goodwill, we began to reorganize the garage and found things from 1969 that definitely could be on the shelf of a Goodwill Store.

Dad would give me a box and I created a catalog of items to send to Goodwill. Mom reluctantly stood in the garage watching us pile items to send to Goodwill. My Dad would ask, "Priscilla, I have these tennis shoes without shoestrings that I do not wear. I would quickly chime in, "Give it to Goodwill." "Hey," Dad said, “how about this battery charger.” "Goodwill, Dad." "I got this ruler." "Goodwill Store, pack it!" The words, Goodwill, were rolling off my mouth like butter that I think Mom needed to take another dose of her blood pressure pills as she continued to look at us thinking that we lost our minds. Particularly since I had the “balls” to take the lead in giving away her stuff :-) There were times in the three hours that we were in the garage that it got intense. "John, you better stop playing and put that back!" Mom sounded like a cat that just finishing battling for the last piece of catnip! All and all, it was a good day to goodwill hunt. Even Mom could not help, but smile as she began to see some of the walls in the garage that had been hiding for years!

Goodwill hunting...I think I will continue to do it since I am right around the corner from a Goodwill store in Bloomy Bloom. It's not only good for tax purposes, but it is good for the soul (and my closets!).

P.S. And yes, John and Curtis, we gave away some of your old clothes, too. Dad and I did, however, keep your Donatos shirt (John) and basketball jerseys (John and Curtis).