Why is it so hard for me to get rid of things we are no longer using? One area it has taken me a long time to finally cut back is VHS videos. We almost never use them. In fact, the two times in the past year I tried to watch them, the quality was so low, the videos were grainy and hard to enjoy.
So, when I start applying the typical question: Have we used this in a year? for some reason, I would ignore that one. I have six kids, ages 33-11 and a bunch of grandkids coming up. For awhile, the videos WERE passed to the next group of my kids. But now, it seems in the digital age, the younger kids do not even think about them. So, for the past ten years, many have just sat, unused on a shelf.
Finally, I asked why I could not just let them go?
Well, many of these were gifts. We could not afford the $29 Disney Videos (Yes, they really were that much), so often when a new one would come out, my mom would buy it for the kids. This was such a kindness during a time when TV was rarely used in our house, except prerecorded shows. I was always so thankful. So part of me feels wasteful just getting rid of them.
Second: They remind me of a sweet time with my older two, before the cares of the world and growing up took them to life beyond these walls. I miss those days at times.
Third: One day my kids, grandkids, etc may want to see some of these and they may not be available anymore.
But the fact is, during times when movies cannot be streamed, through any number of services, free or at a fee, my kids would play board games or read a book or something. My kids want to watch the latest shows, the ones their friends are talking about. There are endless ways to entertain oneself, using toys, friends, books, family, games, I should never worry if they cannot find that one Disney film that is not available anywhere else.
After analyzing all these reasons, I listed a picture of them on the facebook Buy Nothing Louisville page. And many, many people wanted them. I am joyful to share that they are now in a new home, where I hope they will not gather dust, and they will bring some joy to a family! I can imagine some young mama, maybe a little financially strapped, having hours of joy with her kids, learning all the old classics. Doesn’t that feel better than just dusting them once again?
