My hairdryer has been in the process of going out. For the past several months now, as I use my hairdryer the connection in the wire will be lost and the hairdryer will stop working.
The connection point where the wire comes into the hairdryer is breaking due to years of use. I’ve had this hairdryer for 20+ years. I am very fond of this hairdryer.
This hairdryer was with me when my kids were young … growing up through the elementary school years.
This hairdryer moved all the way across the country with me … and then all the way back again a few years later.
This hairdryer was with me when I “let go” and watched my kids leave home and go away to college.
This hairdryer was with me through my kids’ college graduations, through my kids getting their own homes and launching into their own careers, and a new daughter-in-law joining the family.
This hairdryer has been with me through every major milestone of my adult married life. Therefore, I’m having a hard time letting it go.
On the mornings when I need to dry my wet head of hair, I must stand in just the such-and-such way and hold the cord in just the such-and-such way for the connection to be maintained and the hairdryer to work.
But of course, when you are drying your hair, you need to move the hairdryer around to dry your hair. So the connection is continually being lost, and my hairdryer is continually dying.
As hubby listens to the hairdryer coming on and going off, he asks me: “Would you like a new hairdryer?”
To which I reply: “Oh no. This one’s fine. I’ve had this hairdryer for 20 years. I like this one. It’s not dead yet.”
Hubby is smart. He knows that one day the hairdryer will go out and I won’t be able to get it to come back on again. Then I’ll be stuck with a wet head of hair, needing to leave for Sunday morning church or something like that.
So, hubby went ahead and ordered a new hairdryer for me. He got a super nice one, with lots of positive stars and reviews.
My fancy new hairdryer showed up at our front door. I was tempted to leave it in the box … because my current hairdryer is “just fine.” But hubby had been so kind to get me a new one, I at least got it out of the box.
I put it on the shelf, where I normally keep my hairdryer.
But as you can see … I also kept my trusty 20-year-old hairdryer on the little green stool just below.
On the mornings when I need to dry my wet head of hair … I still use my trusty 20-year-old hairdryer. With it continually stopping and going out on me. (because it’s not totally dead yet – Ha!)
Hubby asked if I’ve tried my new hairdryer. I told him “Yes, I had.” Which was true. I did try it … once.
Hubby assured me that he was well aware I was going to keep right on using my trusty 20-year-old hairdryer. He had no misconceptions that I would be letting it go to swap to the fancy new one. The new one is just a backup for when my beloved trusty hairdryer finally gives out and I can’t get it to come back on again.
It’s hard to let go!
Especially things which have been with us through all the major milestones of life. Through the good times. Through the hard times.
Hubby and I are in the process of getting our aging parents moved to our city to be near us so that we can help care for them. This is going to involve a lot of “letting go.”
It’s hard to let go.
But such is life. All of life is “letting go.”
God gives us good blessing to enjoy. This is a gift.
My trusty 20-year-old hairdryer was a blessing for these past 20 years. It was simply a tool to help me accomplish what really mattered in life – loving other people (my kids in particular!) and taking care of other people.
So also, when it comes to “letting go” through the changes of life’s different seasons, we have to remember that these wonderful items we have enjoyed so much are simply a gift from God, for us to do what really matters in life – loving other people and taking care of other people.
