Something Old, Something New, Nothing Borrowed, Something Blue

Recently a good friend recommended that I get a new purse. She was not trying to be mean or critical, only giving me advice on things I could do to try and improve my outlook on life.

Here is a picture of my sad, forlorn purse. I loved this purse when I first got it two years ago. It was a super purchase and impulse buy at Payless Shoe source that only cost $5.


Before this purse I had a very small, boring black purse. When I purchased this one, I loved the turquoise accent. In fact I always meant to write a post about how much I loved this purse. How everything fit just perfectly in it. And how I loved the pockets on the outside that could hold my cell phone or keys. When I bought this purse, it was a huge boost in my attitude towards life. And I loved this purse even more for all that it did for me.
But as you can see the past two years have not been kind to this purse. The handles are starting to crack, and there is a whole grayish shade going on that must be due to dirt. But still, this is the purse that sat with me through all my hospital stays. It provided me with a place for my beloved and lifesaving MP3 player. Also, it supplied me with Kleenex for those really bad days. And we can not underestimate the importance of the over used credit and insurance cards. The pen to fill out forms. The envelope overfilling with medical receipts saved for tax purposes. My camera even fit nicely in one corner. It has been a good friend and companion.


So when my friend first mentioned replacing it, I reacted as if she had suggested replacing a cherished family pet. I couldn't imagine life with out it. But then I took a good look at my aging friend, and one could not deny that it is looking a bit, well depressing.


One day I was at Target for something else, and I just perused through the purse section. Nothing jumped out at me saying "Pick me to be your new best friend." Plus everything was like $30. How could I replace me bargain best friend with something I didn't really love, and paid full price for?


Several days later, I was again at Payless Shoe. Again buying shoes for my daughter. I looked through the purses there. They had many on sale, but the one I fell in love with was not included. I looked at it and felt the smooth leather beneath my finger tips. I admired the shiny nickel embellishments. I tried it on my shoulder to see how it would feel. I even took it up to the register to check to see if it might be on sale. No, it was the full $25. I told the sales girl that I would not get it, telling myself I could always come back to get it later.


My daughter told me I should get it because she liked it. She said "Get it, Get it." And so I let her push me over indecision edge and I gave in and bought it that very day.

What do you think? My boss told me it looked very classy.

I could have taken this opportune time to carefully go through everything in my old purse and purging the unnecessary junk. But that would have required energy on my part. Instead, I just held the old purse upside down and dumped everything into the new one. Much less effort.

I do like the way the new purse looks, well new. It has added a spring to my step that I was doubtful about. It is requiring an adjustment period, which I am not a fan of. Why am I so resistant to change, I wonder? And it does have something of a black hole nature, that could prove challenging at times. But overall, I am happy with the choice. It is bigger and can thus hold more junk, which I am sure I will accumulate soon.

And just so my vacuum cleaner doesn't feel persecuted, here is a shot of my old and new purse getting acquainted. I still haven't had the heart to dispose of the old purse.