"Are you sure those are too small for him?"
"Is that a stain or fuzzball on the sleeve?"
"Awww... I LOVE those pjs!"
Yes, Michael, I love those pjs, too. Unfortunately, our financial situation does not allow us to become too attached to inanimate objects. When we are done with them, they become income. It will be cold soon and it is time to say good-bye to our "3T Toddler Boys Fall Winter Clothing Lot." There are thirty-seven items... the Mother Load! Name brands, no flaws, all from my smoke-free/pet-free home. Two hours after I opened the box, the lot was listed on eBay. It is ready and waiting for someone to take the first bid. And by my calculations and experience, it should net enough to buy Jack's winter coat this year, with hopefully enough left over to buy a hat, gloves, and maybe even his boots... all of which will be purchased, second-hand, from eBay. That's how the eBay Circle goes. Henry wears Jack's old clothes, which get sold after he outgrows them, and we use the money to buy most of Jack's "new" clothes, which Henry will wear in two years, and then grow out of... at which time, I'll sell them on eBay.
It's really quite beautiful when you think about it. Somewhere, someone who maybe struggles like we do, is taking photos of the coat that Jack will wear to school, this year. And somewhere else, someone who can't afford store prices knows that her child will be warm in a coat that did the job for Henry last year. I like to think of eBay as a method of Pay It Forward, except with a little extra cash, included! It is an outlet for those whose options are limited. It is a way for us to connect to each other and help our fellow man, by providing things we want and need at reasonable prices.
Occasionally, that connection goes deeper than any of us realize. I recently sold two chairs on eBay. I had intended to keep them for the boys, but the chairs didn't fit at the art table. The woman who purchased them, was a total stranger to me... just an eBay id. A little over a week ago, a few days after the sale was finalized, I received an email from her. She had clicked the link to my blog from my eBay page, and had been touched by my words. My original goal in creating this blog was to reach out to those who need a silver lining when the sky seems darkest. I wanted to make people aware of my boys' condition, and also the plight of the lower middle class, but in a positive way. Her email gave me validation. Last night, I sadly put little pajamas online, as I have done many times before, to sell to strangers, wishing that we had the stability to save them for our grandchildren, or even more children of our own. Then this morning, I realized that my sacrifices are not in vain. I received another email from the buyer of the chairs, who I now know as "Lori." She had been a stranger, but has become a lovely person in my life. Her email provided me with a link to a blog that I apparently helped inspire her to write, with a beautifully written post about yours truly. Thank you, Lori, for showing me the little ways in which we can impact the lives of others. Thank for giving me the ultimate compliment of saying that I inspire you. Thank you for reading my blog and thank you for sharing your story, as well.
Henry's fall clothes are packed and ready to ship to the highest bidder. Jack's winter coat will be purchased next month, at which time Henry's summer clothes will be boxed in preparation for being listed on eBay next May. And with that, the Circle of Life -- of eBay -- continues.
To help keep the circle flowing, as she has been so kind to promote me on her website, I would appreciate it if my followers would check out the blog of my new "friend," who I would have never known, if not for those two little chairs that I didn't have room for. : )
