Colors of Spring

They sat side by side in perfect rows, the colors of spring popping out before my eyes. Spring green, yellow and pink. Stripes in tan, pale orange and light blue. Bursts of multi-colored flowers and geometrics. One couldn’t escape this freshness, this newness of the season.

My eyes were drawn to the spring green color. I picked it up. I contemplated its size. I could see my sister with this one. Or the yellow one. I wondered - could I be the green one?

So many sizes to choose from. Where to begin? My desire to downsize led me to the smaller versions. But past failures still fresh in my mind, I quickly remembered the contents of my life spilled out upon the seat of my car or the kitchen table as I frantically rummaged for a pen – or my cell phone – or my tube of Chapstick. I have so many in my closet already – remnants of those failed attempts to downsize. Useless for anything, other than taking up precious space in my unorganized life.

I held the small green one. I looked inside it. I put it over my shoulder. I put it back.

I held the larger green one. I looked inside it. I put it over my shoulder. I put it back.

I held the striped one, the yellow one, the flowered one and even a tan one. I looked inside them all. I put them over my shoulder. I put them back.

Tucked in on the top shelf at the end of the row I spotted it.

A black one. Just the right size. I loved everything about it. The color. The size. The style.

Everything except one thing.

The price. I turned the price tag over. Forty-eight bucks – even on sale!I put it back.

After all, who would pay more than twenty bucks for a purse? Not me.

Besides, I already have a black one.

So I will go through the next couple months, envying every green or yellow or pink purse I see slung over the shoulder of women who are obviously more gutsy than me.

Until the fall colors come out – and then maybe I’ll spring for brown.

Or maybe not.