We are the Presleys: The Wisdom in Her Years

One of the many things that we have been doing this summer around the house is cleaning out the basement. In the 3 years that we have lived here, we have seemed to just stick random junk down there without any organization or labeling or anything. So it was our goal to completely get everything out of there and start over. You would be amazed at how much of it just needed to be thrown away. And even more amazed by how much of what we put on the curb was taken by either a neighbor or a passerbyer even before the trash ran the next day. But, anyways, that is not my point.

Marshall and I were shocked by how many large rubbermaid containers full of the kids old outgrown clothes were in the basement. So it became my job to go through EVERY SINGLE ONE (I think there were at least 12 large bins and several trash bags full of clothes) and sort through the clothes, keeping only my favorites and outfits that I really think I would use again on another child.

Well, I had just dumped a container full of Payton's clothes and started going through it when she came into the room. Payton walked over and immediately picked up a little Mickey Mouse nightgown and said "Oh! I remember this!" Pretty normal right? Then she said "This is the gown I was wearing the morning you and daddy told me that Odell had died." WOW! That is certainly NOT what I expected her to say next. Not in the least. I mean, don't get me wrong, I know exactly what I was wearing the night that he died. It even still has a little bit of blood and body fluid of his on it. Will I ever wash it? No. Will I ever wear it again? No. But will I keep it forever just because I want to? Probably. In hindsight it really does not surprise me that she remembers what she had on. I guess I just had never thought about it before. But she knew exactly what was going on, throughout the life and death of her brother. She has experienced life differently than most children her age. And she is very wise in her years because of what she has been through. My daughter is only nine years old, but her persective on life is very eternal. I am amazed at how she processes things. Adults could learn something from her.