The Value of Things

I am not attached to too many personal items. I found out when living in hurricane infested southeast Texas that pretty much everything that is of any earthly value can fit into one rubbermaid tub. Because of three hurricane evacuations during a three year period of time, I was able to hone in on my packing and prioritizing skills. Evaluating the value of my earthly goods really did help me realize that these things really are worth so little in the scheme of life.

However, there are some pieces of furniture that have been passed down on both sides of the family that I do enjoy and other knick-knack sort of items that are pleasant to look at. The value isn't necessarily monetary, it's more sentiment and emotional. It probably doesn't surprise anyone that this past week when I went to GA I came back home with one such treasure. This time in the form of a doll....an adoption doll. Ever heard of one? No, I didn't think so.

A little history...in the early eighties the Cabbage Patch Kid Dolls were becoming popular. Being 8 or 9 years old and a girl....life pretty much demanded that you own one of these preciously perfect patch kids.   That coupled with the fact that just a few miles north of Atlanta was the very "hospital" where you could go pick out your very own adoptee. Well, there as also the little fact of $$$$. And....the fact that we didn't have much. So, my mom made me this:

This was my adoption doll....aka Cabbage Patch Kid knock-off. Only thing was....I didn't realize until just recently that the Adoption Doll never made it as big as the Cabbage Patch Kid. I thought everyone knew what am Adoption Doll was.....little did I know.

Yet, silly as it may seem, I have an attachment to my doll. Mainly because my mom made it. In fact she made me two...the other one was a larger version. Nonetheless, I value it because of the time she took to craft it. I value it because she was making something so that I would have something similar to other girls and she didn't want me to feel left out. I value it because of the craftsmanship. I value it because it represents a mother's love through the giving of her time and talents...and isn't that so much about what motherhood is?

I've had some hysterical laughs with a few friends over my naivety over this doll. Here I was thinking she was something special from my childhood when really back then she was more of a substitute for the real thing. But through the years...I think I'm the lucky one...the one with something that represents much more than a doll.