The dress

For the last few years there have been three--wait make that four--"bridesmaid" dresses in my closet...one isn't really a bridesmaid dress but was worn at a wedding.  Three were actually worn in a wedding.  One was bought and then the wedding was canceled. 

The three that were worn were pretty.  One I didn't think I would like and wound up really liking.  If there was another occasion to wear it, I might...it has to be the right circumstances though.  The one that wasn't worn I liked.  I liked a lot.  It had a good shape, was a good color and with a little editing (those flowers) it would have been perfect.  It cost a good bit of money, so I've had a hard time letting it go.  At one point I thought maybe I would sell them on ebay or craigslist but I just didn't get there.

A month or so ago, I read in the local paper that a local cleaners was collecting used prom dresses.  They would clean them and then allow girls in the community who couldn't afford to purchase a new dress to come in and choose a prom dress.  I thought about those dresses in my closet...especially the one never worn and decided it was time.

The dress hung close to the door waiting to be taken away.  A friend came over, saw it and oohed and aahed over it...I knew it needed to go to a new home.  A week ago, I drove down to the cleaners.  I pulled up in front of the shop and retrieved the dress from my trunk.  As I walked in the door, the lady behind the counter looked up and literally dropped everything, ran around the counter saying "Thank you, thank you, thank you!" and gave me a big hug as she accepted the dress.  "It's beautiful" she exclaimed.

Somewhere, this prom season, some young lady, who doesn't fit the conventional idea of beautiful, will be stunning in a brand new dress...and I think that's good.