My Favorite Things (Audio)
It’s hard to let loose of things. At least for me. My world is enveloped by things I favor. It’s not like lost treasure or jewels that have great value. No. The things I’m talking about are mementos of a time that I remember something special. The value comes mostly because of their association with memories of another time, place, friend or family.
I can pick up these dominoes and remember the birthday party when I received them back in the third grade. What else did I receive? No idea. Nothing lasted through the years as a memory. I nearly lost all of these dominoes in a freak mistake and only these two remain which make them an even stronger memory.
We have oft heard described the cluttered debris of the old westward moment where Conestoga wagons were transporting families across the nation. The clutter comes from treasured pieces of furniture left by the wayside because they simply impeded forward progress. Treasures from another home would not be treasures in a new home. Tears and anguish at the loss were many, and for a generation, they would be missed. But imagine the next generation. New baubles become the favorite thing.
But through the generations, we keep losing out on the favorite things of bygone eras.
One person’s treasures are probably the next generations trash.
As we age we want to share what we’ve stored but it’s difficult finding someone to share our treasures with. No value to the bank account often means a favorite item gets picked over by bargain hunters in the next yard sale.
Hence, pack rats like me find an opportunity to trim our treasures when we make moves. In the first five years of marriage, my bride and I moved 14 times! Why? Because we had so little to move! It was easy and fun. But as life packs you down with memories, then a move causes the most treasured items to be retained, others are gingerly set to the side, hopefully, to be picked up, again, by bargain shoppers.
I’ve pondered at many a graveside that all the treasures and favorite things a person enjoys are only available for this season of life. Then they too find a new home that where they may be treasured by someone new. Or the rubbish pile has a new tenant.
I’ve tried to share my feelings about these favorite things, but alas, they are only treasures for me. Just as a corporate raider swoops in and dismantles a company, one day all my treasures will be tossed to the side, their status no longer a “favorite thing”.
In my treasure trove of stuff, I have many mementos of a bygone era. Things of my grandparents and parents that I’m not sure will survive my passing. They are my treasures, and no one else will savor them because they do not have the memories. Because they have no value, they will be lost with my passing.
Maudlin. Depressing. Shameful? No. They are MY favorite things and do not have to be YOURS at all. So, I will keep them and continue to have great memories of what they represent. They are my anchor to my memories and when I’m gone it will matter little what happens to that ol’ red rubber knife.
