It’s better to have one item of quality than ten items of junk

Sherri T.

These were the wise words of Min, mother of my dear friend Betsy.

Turns out, Min had lots of wise words to share. An earlier blog in this Words of Our Mothers series discussed her advice “you can’t dance at every wedding.”

Min was basically telling Betsy that it’s not possible to be everywhere and do everything all the time. Nor is it realistic to be invited to every party or event. It is no reflection on you and should not be taken as a personal snub.

I’ve given lots of thought to these words. For me, they come with another meaning as well.

Perhaps Min was trying to tell us that more invitations and appearances don’t necessarily equate with quality. They are simply a number. Being present at every event doesn’t mean being truly present. 

We should instead value every day as a series of moments that count – not as a count of moments.

In a nutshell, Min was advising us to choose quality over quantity. Every day. All the time.

Lucky for us, her message of quality didn’t stop there. Min always reminded her children that having one item of quality was worth more than ten items of junk.

How prophetic was that advice? She would have had no idea back then of the fundamental shifts in thinking that were to come years later.

The massive climate change movement sweeping throughout the world is urging consumers to live more sustainably – to purchase less and to purchase better – in order to protect the environment.

At the same time, there are movements throughout the world promoting ethical purchase. Their   purpose is to encourage consumers to move away from cheap goods produced by cheap labor toward quality goods made by workers paid a living wage.

Min would have no way of knowing about these profound philosophical changes that were to alter the global conversation.  In fact, she may simply have been mindful of the reality that high-quality products work and look far better than ones more cheaply produced.  

Regardless of her rationale, the bottom line remains the same. 

Min was concerned with value.  Perhaps more important: Min was concerned with values.