Potential
I realized yesterday that I have a great ability to see the potential in things. I took a little girl's batik dress and turned it into a great tote bag. A friend gave my kids a handmade coloring book holder when they were little. When they outgrew coloring, I put it next to the phone and used it to hold take out menus.
This ability to see potential can be a great asset. It helps me maintain positive energy. It means I can see good things in bad situations. It lets me have hope and see possibilities in people and things. But I'm wondering if it might also be a mixed blessing.
I have a beautiful white skirt because I feel like it would be great to wear if my husband and I ever walk on the beach at night, in the summer, on one of those nights where the temperature doesn't really drop down. Because yeah, we actually did that. Once. Twenty-five years ago. It's a great memory but is it ever going to happen again? Maybe, but what are the odds I'll have packed and manage to be wearing that skirt? Would the experience be less great if I was wearing shorts? Where else am I realistically going to wear it? Not to work, where I sit on the floor and regularly get covered in boogers and drool and occasionally something worse.
I have an ugly orange turtleneck sweater which I bought new for .99. I bought it for the sole purpose that someday, I potentially, might, want to go as Velma from Scooby Doo for Halloween.
I have a beautiful aquamarine pair of shoe with gold sequins which would be perfect if I ever get invited to an Arabian Nights themed costume party. They're adorable. But they're difficult to walk in and I don't really wear them. But they have so much potential if harem pants get popular again like they were in the 80's.
It's easy to get rid of things when they're useless or broken. It's not so simple when you view items as having enormous potential. Plus, I suspect that when I see the potential in things, I feel that maybe that potential exists to enhance activities. If my husband and I walk on the beach, at night, in the summer, it's not going to be better because I'm wearing that skirt. If I ever get invited to an Arabian Nights themed costume party (which actually sounds pretty unlikely, now that I write it) whether I have a good time or not will depend on my mood and who I go with and who I talk to. I doubt that the shoes will be a factor in my happiness.
I don't want to lost my ability to see potential in people and things. But I can't let it make me hang on to stuff just because maybe, someday...yeah.
This ability to see potential can be a great asset. It helps me maintain positive energy. It means I can see good things in bad situations. It lets me have hope and see possibilities in people and things. But I'm wondering if it might also be a mixed blessing.
I have a beautiful white skirt because I feel like it would be great to wear if my husband and I ever walk on the beach at night, in the summer, on one of those nights where the temperature doesn't really drop down. Because yeah, we actually did that. Once. Twenty-five years ago. It's a great memory but is it ever going to happen again? Maybe, but what are the odds I'll have packed and manage to be wearing that skirt? Would the experience be less great if I was wearing shorts? Where else am I realistically going to wear it? Not to work, where I sit on the floor and regularly get covered in boogers and drool and occasionally something worse.
I have an ugly orange turtleneck sweater which I bought new for .99. I bought it for the sole purpose that someday, I potentially, might, want to go as Velma from Scooby Doo for Halloween.
I have a beautiful aquamarine pair of shoe with gold sequins which would be perfect if I ever get invited to an Arabian Nights themed costume party. They're adorable. But they're difficult to walk in and I don't really wear them. But they have so much potential if harem pants get popular again like they were in the 80's.
It's easy to get rid of things when they're useless or broken. It's not so simple when you view items as having enormous potential. Plus, I suspect that when I see the potential in things, I feel that maybe that potential exists to enhance activities. If my husband and I walk on the beach, at night, in the summer, it's not going to be better because I'm wearing that skirt. If I ever get invited to an Arabian Nights themed costume party (which actually sounds pretty unlikely, now that I write it) whether I have a good time or not will depend on my mood and who I go with and who I talk to. I doubt that the shoes will be a factor in my happiness.
I don't want to lost my ability to see potential in people and things. But I can't let it make me hang on to stuff just because maybe, someday...yeah.
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