Giving New the Boot
From Chicken Soup for the Soul: The Joy of Less
By Robyn Gerland

I love charity thrift stores. Amazing one-of-a-kind pieces at terrific prices, and all the money you spend goes to a good cause.
~Lara Spencer

“Look what he’s done!” My eight-year-old daughter and her six-year-old brother were returning from their first day of the new school year. Rhys had left the house wearing grey high-tops and Levis and a crisp blue and grey football shirt, all purchased especially for the occasion. “Look!” Ceily repeated theatrically, flinging her arms toward her brother’s incomprehensible state of disrepair.

His new shoes were suggesting at least six month’s steady wear. The Levis, although they still retained most of one knee and surprisingly all of the other, clearly posed the question as to how much longer this would be the case. The blue and grey football shirt? Well, obviously Rhys had painted with black and orange and red; and, clearly, there had not been enough paint smocks for the entire class. (Keep reading)