Hakuna Matata!

So when we went to Fontana Resort in North Carolina a couple weeks ago, I gave away what used to be my favorite hat. My daughter was very upset with me, but I couldn't explain the whole story in a way that she would fully appreciate it at this time.

See, here's the hat. It snaps in the back and I think said 'No Worries' over the hole. Granted, it was cute. I got it at Disney World in February 1996. On my first honeymoon, with my first husband. And I always knew that. We split amicably enough, but I always 'knew' where/when I got the hat.

I typically still wore the hat when I went out in the sun. Too much sun usually gives me a headache, and I definitely don't want it on my face. So I had it on at the pool with the kids when we were staying with some friends at Fontana Village.

Some dude who was floating around the lazy river stopped to say, "I LOVE your hat. I've never seen another one like it. I would totally give you money for that hat so I could give it to my brother." I chuckled and pointed out that I'd get a sunburn without my hat!

He commented again how much he liked it, and we both just laughed again. I finally said he could have it when I left. He politely refused, but the more I thought about it, I was tired of the hat's old story. So when I got ready to leave, I waited til he floated by again on his raft, and dropped the hat onto him. He got out of the water to come over and introduce himself and ask if I was sure. I assured him that the hat had outlived its usefulness for me and he should just pay the kindness forward to someone else in some other way.

Like I said, my daughter was quite upset with me for giving away such a cute hat, but I hope it's years before she realizes that people come and go in your life, and that's okay. Eventually you don't even want things around that drag them back into your stories. Truthfully, I'd even forgot about giving away the hat til I was just invited to a hat party and realized I need to find a new favorite hat to get me through the rest of the summer, and more summers with the people who are in my life now.