I fell victim to tradition.
Every January, I pull an old blue winter coat out of the closet and wear it for a few weeks. I bought the coat in January of 1997, while I was unemployed. It wasn't an impulse buy. I saw it in a store, liked it, left it there, went back a few days later and made the purchase.
I hope you never experience unemployment. It isn't fun. I had safety nets, but you are still filled with worry and anxiety. I was watching every penny. Then, there was that one day, when I saw the coat. I just needed to be nice to myself for a moment.
The coat was at an outlet. It wasn't all that expensive. There were pangs of guilt nonetheless. After wearing it several times, for 22 years, I would say that I've gotten my money's worth out of it, and it's held up well.
Are there morals to the story? Of course. Always remember where you came from. There is no guarantee that what's here today will still be here tomorrow. It's okay to splurge once in a while. Let yourself off the hook when something doesn't go your way. I know that isn't easy. Take care of your coats. You might need them for a while-- for the warmth and the memories.
