Karla’s Korner: My Security Blanket

I am proud to introduce a new column to Madame Deals! I think we all need a touch point a place we can go to be inspired. Karla is my children’s teacher, a good friend, and a person with a heart of gold. I hope that her words will inspire you to do more. We are only as good as the people we surround ourselves with. It is important to listen with your heart and proceed with your eyes open. Enjoy!

My Security Blanket…

Have you ever held onto something from your past or childhood for so long it’s almost embarrassing? I have quite a few things from my childhood and earlier adult years that for some reason or another have been unable to get rid of. As I walk through my house I find that I am a keeper of “stuff” which is nothing like a hoarder; I just keep things for a long time. There is a table in my living room that is old (at least 100 years or more) and up until ten or so years ago it was in multiple pieces, full of dirt and grime strung together with a piece of clothesline wire. This table belonged to my great grandmother; a woman that I never met. My dad gave me the table pieces and I stripped it down to the bare wood and refinished it and then carefully put it back together. It is a family heirloom that I will never part with; a piece of my history to hold onto and pass down to my children one day. I also have my grandmothers dining room furniture and china (which I have yet to eat off of) and cherish it beyond words. There’s a clock that my grandfather made, old pictures of various family members, the rocking chair that I sat in as a child, a few baby dolls that have seen better days; all of which hold a special place in my heart. 

There is one thing that I hold onto that is beyond ridiculous; an ugly green and red plaid wool blanket that is literally full of holes. As far back as I can remember I have had this blanket on my bed. It was one of the first things I packed as I prepared to get married and leave home. As a child I had a full sized bed in my room and this blanket was on my bed. When I was a toddler, I would pick at the blanket and rub the fuzz on my nose at night; apparently this helped me fall asleep. Eventually I had picked at it until there were several holes in the top; so naturally, my mother turned it around giving me another end to pick the fuzz off of. The end result is a blanket with practically identical holes in both ends.

As ridiculous as this all sounds I love that old blanket and have no intention of ever getting rid of it. Now lying on our queen sized bed unable to tuck in the edges to hold it secure, my husband and I wake up every morning with this blanket in a lump in the middle of the bed or on the floor. Still every morning without fail I lovingly put the blanket back on my bed. Quite often on the weekends my husband will make the bed and grumble about my blanket and wonder out loud why I would keep such a thing. Explaining that it’s just one of those things I can’t seem to allow myself to get rid of I in turn wonder out loud why he has kept the same stained dilapidated plastic spoon in the kitchen drawer since college. His response, “that was my mom’s spoon’ she gave it to me when I left for college.” I chuckle and roll my eyes knowing  that his spoon is to him what my blanket it to me; a piece of the past that has special meaning. Hence, we keep the holey blanket and the half melted, stained spoon and pray that nobody ever sees either one.

Unable to fully explain why we hold onto to certain pieces of our past over others I can only suggest that we do because it makes us feel good. I believe that holding onto precious bits and pieces will serve as a reminder of where we were before we got to where we are right now. My old tattered blanket reminds me of feeling safe and secure as a child. Maybe that’s why now I continue to sleep under that blanket hoping to continue the feelings of safety and security; especially since my world has changed so much lately with my children grown or nearly grown up and not needing me the way they used to. Holding onto that old familiar feeling somehow gives me peace.

As you go about your busy week seek out what it is from your past that brings you peace and relive fond memories. Also take care not to get rid of those special items from your own child’s lives. Create a special box or container for your children to store special one of a kind items that they will want to pull out as adults and remember fondly. Do not be quick to rid their lives of the little stuff that you think is silly. Just like my husband’s beat up old spoon it reminds him of his momma cooking for her five children in her little cramped kitchen day after day until one day she sent it off into the world with her grown son who on our first date nearly 25 years ago cooked my with that spoon and stole my heart.

For me, as I lay my head down each night and tug and pull on that old tattered blanket, curling up next to my husband not only do I enjoy the warmth that it brings but the memories of being that little carefree girl who somehow got so lucky to be the wife and momma that I am today.

Peace,

Karla

Check out all of Karla’s Korner articles here.

Also, please visit Karla’s Lifetime Moms page and read her articles.