Thrifting in Kyoto

April Six Word Photo Story Challenge: “Reflect”

Vintage shopping with Alex in Kyoto.

You might think our mindful son has received advanced economics lessons on mindful spending and saving money, but that’s not true. Alex developed a strong sense of being frugal around the time he started high school, especially regarding clothes, which lose their value and appeal quickly.

Reflecting on Alex’s careful spending, I realize that going thrift shopping with his friends in high school has made our son happy and savvy about the value of the dollar and how far he can stretch it when buying high-quality yet inexpensive clothes at various thrift stores in Sacramento.

During spring break this year in March, the kids and I spent a magical week in Tokyo and Kyoto, exploring, eating the most amazing food and desserts, as well as shopping at a vintage store in search of a pair of pants for Alex, who had stained his light beige new pants that we had bought at Uniqlo, a modern and casual store in Tokyo.

As we strolled around Kyoto on a colorful, brightly lit, and lively street, we came across a fancy vintage store. We went inside and were surprised at how clean and well-stocked the store was. After a few minutes of browsing, Alex was happy to find a pair of American navy pants.

I smiled thinking of our vintage shopping in Kyoto and thought:

“My son will be great at saving money just like us. He understands that we were not born rich and that we worked hard for our money through education, sacrifices, and hard work.”

For more poetic musings and short-form philosophy, please check out my new book, Inspirational Signs for More Sunshine in Your Life and Morsels of Love, A Book of Poetry, and Short-Form, published in 2021. You can also order directly from my website www.carmenmicsabooks.com to receive an autographed copy. If you like podcasts, please listen to Seeds of Sunshine, a multigenerational podcast that I started together with my daughter.