I really liked my laundry bag which was made of blue cloth
with a drawstring. It was durable, easy to use and store. My trusty laundry bag held up for thirty
years. As I matured, the bag became more
than a holder of dirty and clean clothes, it became an all-purpose bag. It carried Christmas and birthday
presents. It carted housewares, party
supplies and various miscellaneous items. I always remembered who gave me my laundry bag
along with love and care attached to it
As each of the two grandchildren went off to college, the
importance of a laundry bag arose, well for me. I did not have to worry about them buying one for
themselves because it did not appear to be on their list of “needed” items. Memories flooded me about my bag. My approach was different than my Mom’s. I waited until packing time to give it to
each one of them. Each was given a
different color. One was gray and the
other a marble white and green. Of
course, they could have rejected it, but did not. Yes, they are using their laundry bag.
During this process, it hit me that this simple item meant more
to me. Besides being a tradition, it
became a symbol of love and care. This
triggered the idea of passing on other things, such as, values and life skills.
Like my parents had prepared me for the
next phase of life, I hoped that my husband and I were doing the same for the
grandchildren. Hopefully, when they see
and use the laundry bag, they will be reminded of home along with the love and
care attached to it.
