Hampers

So this may seem an odd topic for a spiritual post, but here goes.  I needed to buy a new hamper since our current one was falling apart, literally, the wicker or whatever it is, was breaking up and then our clothes were catching on it.  So, I looked around in quite a few stores - no luck.  Moved to the Internet - possibilities, though my husband vetoed the $159.00 hamper.  Are you wondering what my problem is with hampers?  Okay, I wanted one with a lid, not wicker or plastic, would hold more than two shirts, and not cost more than $30.  It's a dirty clothes holder that two people see.  Finally, I find one on-line, but it and get it.  It's ripped.  Return it, get a new one, open it, and...it's ripped.  I really like this hamper, light colored, lid, $24.95, not wicker or plastic; but ripped!

Today I went to Target, my last hope, no exaggeration.  I found a very utilitarian, white plastic hamper with a lid and wheels, $17.99.  It's not what I really wanted,  but it will work.  In the store I was having a running internal dialogue with myself about a hamper, A HAMPER!  I eventually decided a few things:
1.  There are people in this world that had no place to live, let alone clothes to put in a hamper.
2.  It's Lent, and a good time to practice emptying oneself, so I should let go of my need to have a nice hamper.
3.  I could cover it in fabric to make it look pretty.  Bad idea, see #2.
4.  In the big picture, does it matter? No, it really is not important that I don;t 'like' the hamper.
5.  The real questions is, will this hamper do it's job?  Yes, it will.  The dirty clothes will be in one place and BONUS - we can wheel it to the laundry room.
6.  There's more, but i think you get the idea.

So, the spiritual part:  In my letting go of my perceived hamper needs I learned that I spend too much time thinking about what I deserve in life and not enough time being grateful for what I have.  I am in this negative mode of seeing what is missing, instead of seeing what is there.  Do I have every material thing I want?  No. Do I have every material thing I need?  Yes and more. 

Lent has just begun and it is already working.