Somewhere out there, probably in the same black hole where my favorite pen, Tupperware lids, and my sanity disappear, lives a thriving sock colony. I imagine them having little sock families, a neighborhood watch committee, and probably a better community calendar system than I do.

Because let’s be honest—where do the socks go? I have a basket of single socks. A whole basket. It’s been there for years, and I keep digging through it like one day, the missing matches will rise from the lint and reappear. Spoiler alert: they don’t. And yet, I can’t seem to get rid of them. There’s always that little voice that whispers, “But what if the other one shows up?”

Meanwhile, my kids are running out the door with mismatched socks that could start a new TikTok trend. Neon stripes on one foot, Christmas reindeer on the other—it’s practically an accessory at this point.

And here’s the thing: the sock basket is kind of like life. We hang on to things that are missing, broken, or unfinished, thinking someday they’ll magically fall back into place. But sometimes, it’s just a sock. It’s gone. Let it go. (Easier said than done, I know. I’m still side-eyeing that basket as I type this.)

Being a busy teacher mom means there will always be things I can’t control—socks that vanish, laundry that multiplies like rabbits, schedules that overlap, and kids who can’t find their shoes when we’re already late. But holding on to those little frustrations only clutters my mental laundry basket.

So maybe it’s time to toss the sock basket and free myself from the weight of “what if.” Maybe mismatched socks can just be our family’s signature look. Maybe letting go—of socks and of control—is exactly what I need.

After all, life’s too short to chase after missing socks.

PLEASE share if you have any ideas on how to handle this sock situation!!