Playsilks, Gifts, and Flushing

I am diligently working on Project Flush.  The current room being flushed is the kitchen.  I’ve been working on it sporadically the last four days or so.  Having this project in mind with Deladis’ upcoming birthday has really been a good thing.  Cleaning out their room has been more than just getting rid of junk, but it is making a space for them that is beautiful, safe, noncommercial, and meaningful.  Holidays and days of celebration have been hard for me when it comes to motherhood.  In the past, I haven’t had much control over what comes into our home via well meaning family and friends.  That is one of the reasons we are in the position we are in with too much stuff.

My goal for Deladis’ birthday this year is to have a simple party with family and friends here at the cabin.  To do that, I have to have the cabin in decent celebrating order.  I also plan on setting some ground rules, and offering those who want to bring gifts some suggestions on what we would like, otherwise I can’t guarantee it won’t end up on consignment or at Goodwill.  It’s not that I don’t appreciate the gifts and the help providing for the girls.  I truly am grateful for that.  I am beyond thankful for the clothes, shoes, and other necessities we receive as gifts for the girls.  I do, however, believe that gift giving can become excessive, and it can also get to the point where the money being spent is being wasted.  It can come to the point where the gifts given to the girls lose their meaning, and they look at gift getting as too common of a happening.

John recently gave me some time to do yoga in peace, and played with the girls in their room.  They played with one of the girls’ favorite toys – playsilks.  I dyed these silks myself when we attended the Parent/Child program at the Waldorf School of Louisville.  They have been a favorite all purpose plaything ever since.

With a few playsilks you can…

Be a pirate… or

A monster.

A wistful princess… or

a gypsy.

You can even soothe yourself when it is time for a break from play.

Such a uncomplicated natural thing brought an hour of imaginative play.  Deladis and Ivy play with things like this and get more use out of them than any plastic, noisemaking, commercial toy they have ever had.  They gravitate toward the quiet and basic things that allow open ended, imaginative play.  I have seen them attach themselves to very few toys in any other category.

Thinking of the gifts that will be coming to our house in the next month makes me even more willing to purge.  I hope that the beauty of our cabin will inspire others to open themselves to the beauty there is outside of capitalism – getting and getting more.