rediscovering the doll

My room is a mess, it's time to clean and purge, remover everything I no longer need. Starting at the bottom. Papers, clothes, things strewn across the floor, mostly things I use often, some things just buried and neglected. I get two extra large Hefty garbage bags, one for trash and one for donations. I start at the bottom of the room, going through the papers and extras strewn across my floor. Most of it goes in the trash bag since if I haven't looked for it in the last few weeks I probably don't need it. I move on to the drawers under my bed and the shelves under my TV. There isn't much to get rid of, mainly collectables and purses, things that I don't necessarily use, but that I want to keep as a just in case. I rid myself of clothes that I will never wear, and shoes that are too worn down to ever look good with an outfit again. I donate books to the library and finally get to the dusty cupboards above my closet. As I pull down the bins that hold different hobbies and crafts I know those I cannot let go, mainly because I get them out once every six to eight months to tinker with them. When I get to the very back I reach back and find a bin that I haven't touched in years. I sneeze from all of the horrible allergens that have accumulated over the years. I flip the lid off of the crate and gasp, then cough. The dust has invaded my throat. Hidden inside this bin is something very special, something of value in more ways than one. I pull out a beautiful little girl, with porcelain-esque skin, softer than jersey with pink perfectly placed on the apples of her cheeks. Her eyes are an emerald green that sparkle and shine with a glow that only plastic can emit. A toothy grin graces her face, and her forehead is shrouded with thick, lush, glossy blonde hair. Her name is Kirsten, and her story comes in books. A glisten glazes my eyes as I think of my younger self dressing this girl in historical and mixed mashed clothing, setting up her room and little bed, looking through the catalog to find her a friend and choose the most luxurious accessories and outfits. Are the contents of this bin something I should get rid of? Probably. But can I? No. I think I'll tuck her away for my own little girl to enjoy someday.