I am not a typical "girl". I'm not much into makeup or jewelry, I don't like flowers, and I'm not what you would call "soft". Oh, there is lots of physical softness, trust me, but I'm just not all warm and fuzzy. I like lots of personal space and I feel much more comfortable "conversing" on a computer. I also despise "stuff". I hate clutter, I hate keeping anything I don't use. There is, however, another side to my sentimentality. I have a few things that I hold near and dear to my heart and not because they are worth anything in the monetary realm, but because they have been given to me by those I love.
First and foremost, my wedding ring is important to me [for two reasons]. When Rob and I married, we didn't have money for anything other than a band for each of us. I was quite content with that, but had casually mentioned that if I had my choice of any ring, I would love to have one similar to my Nanny's (my maternal grandmother). After we had been married for five years, he purchased the very ring from her and "proposed" with it. It was nearly the sweetest thing he's ever done for me. I am in love with this ring, because it's from him and because it used to be hers.
My other grandmother was likewise quite special to me. She passed almost exactly four years ago. To say she was a lady was an understatement. She and my grandfather did quite a bit of traveling and they bought many special things and did a wonderful job of bequeathing them to family members [after her passing]. These plates were purchased in Israel and every time I see them I think of her.
This is my dining room. This room holds all of my "special" things. It is the only room in my house that actually contains a full set of anything (furniture, china, glasses, silver). My silver was purchased for my "hope chest" at an estate sale, the "jelly glasses" were one of my Nanny's wedding presents [when she married], the china was bought by my dad in Japan when he was in the navy, and the furniture set was given to us by my Nanny when we purchased our home. I wish I could say that we used this room more, but that's also why these things have survived. My dad makes pottery in the winter and the vase on the buffet is one of ten things that he fired in a large outdoor kiln. I love the idea of a "hope chest": to slowly add special things to give your child on their wedding day. It is a bit of an antiquated idea, but very special all the same.
I hope you have special things in your life. Not because they are things, but because they remind you of people who love you.
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