A few weeks ago I was at my oldest sister, it was a cool rainy day, and we were all inside. Suddenly a disagreement broke down between my sisters youngest three that who is going to get on one of the computers next. There are two computers for the kids, and three kids! So I told my sister that I had an old desktop, circa 2002, that I don't use anymore, and she can have it for the kids, if she wanted it. She said yes.
A few nights later, when I didn't have anything to do, I decided to clean the computer, take anything I might need, and get it ready for my niece and nephews. It turned out that I didn't need anything, but I had the computer partitioned and so I decided to reformat the hard disk, and install a fresh OS on it. I installed XP, then downloaded all the updates and patches, and installed the latest version of the browsers on it. And finally I got the subscription to Norton Antivirus for them, since if the computer breaks, I know that it shall come back to me for fix, and I needed to make sure it doesn't break!
Anyhow, the computer was sitting in my study for a good month, and then my sister called this past Sunday to ask if she could stop by to collect the computer later that evening. At first I wanted to say no, I was embarrassed to let her see the state of my living room, but I thought I wasn't going to ask her in, so it should be OK!
She got me from the library, we drove to my place, and she came in! When she saw all the clothes all over, she asked what was going on. I told her that I had considered selling some stuff that I don't use any more since I was running out of space. She said that it was a great idea and maybe she should look to see if she has anything that she could sell too. My sister has lost a lot of weight in the past year.
Anyhow, my sister complemented me on my fashion sense and said that she could see why I wouldn't want to sell my stuff. She told me that a few years back, when I got that beautiful dress for my Christmas party, she was so envious of me! For one that I had picked that dress, two that I could afford it, which in truth I didn't, I used to put a lot of things on my credit cards back then, and maxed all of them out, then a few years later came to my senses, planned and was finally able to pay off all my dept, anyhow, and three that I was able to fit into a size 6, at that point she was very pregnant with her youngest.
I looked at her and told her that I think she could fit in that dress now and asked if she wanted to give it a try. Enthusiastically, she said yes. So I looked around and spotted that dress. She tried it on and looked amazing in it. So I told her it was hers. She wrote me a check for the dress and the computer, and when I refused, she said let me do this thing for you! She said that she wanted to get a dress as a reward to herself for losing weight and she had been looking online but really couldn't find anything she liked or in her budget. She said she is giving me what she wanted to spend on a dress, but she knows I could sell this dress for more on the eBay. I told her that I rather *she* gets it for free than to sell it on eBay and earn some money!
Then she gave me a pep talk that at the beginning of her marriage money was tight but they survived and became wise and strong. My sister and brother in-law got married right after college. My sister was in her last term in a graduate school when she got pregnant, and after she had my oldest niece, she went to work fulltime right away. At that point my brother in-law was still in school. Being only 25, with a full time job, a baby, and a husband that was busy with school, I have no idea how she managed, but she did. So I told her that I have always been envious of her strength, and that I thought she has it together all the time.
She laughed and said, good we sisters have to be envious of each other, all the time, otherwise it wouldn't be fun being sisters! Anyhow, she said that she never says no to the kindness of our family. My youngest sister and I were still in high school when we became aunt for the first time, and we always offered to babysit my niece for free, so that my sister could rest. When she came over, our mom always send her away with containers of food, saying that it was leftover, but it was very much made for her. My sister said that when we do things for our family we feel good and said that I have never let her do anything for me! That could be true! She asked me to accept the check so she could feel good! So I did accept her kindness.
On the car ride to our parents she offered that if I decided to sell my stuff again, she could organize it. She could price them, even throw a backyard party one Sunday in October, invite all our family and friends and let them checkout the goods! I thought about it for a bit, and decided to take her on the offer. I remained myself that one can't accomplish her goals with stubbornness, and that some sacrifices have to be made!
So I am back on track of selling *some* of my clothes with the help and kindness of my oldest sister!
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