A Favorite Thing
A favorite thing can make any nest feel like home no matter how long you have been a resident. This favorite thing can be large or small. New or old. Inherited or purchased. Discovered or given.
So Many Things
Recently, one of my sisters made a cross-country move. While I envied her adventure, I didn't envy all the packing she had to do. And all of the UN-packing that followed. Someone suggested she should have sold her things and bought new items instead of moving it all. This idea got me thinking about what I could, and couldn't, part with.
My furniture and home decor is a mixture of sorts. The dining table, couch and entertainment center are hand-me-downs. The hutch and piano are yard sale site purchases. My husband made our girls' bed frames. Our wall hangings and accent pieces are things I loved (and thought I couldn't live without). I have more books and mason jars than I can count. I really have so many things.
My Favorite Thing
If I were to pile up all of my stuff, there is one thing that is an absolute favorite. This piece does not have monetary value. It is not in mint condition. In fact, it needs to be fixed. Sometimes it is piled up with books or clothes. Occasionally it gets dusted, but most of the time, it doesn't. My favorite thing is nothing more than an ordinary wooden chair.
Although this chair appears to be just an ordinary chair, it represents so much more. This chair means the love of family, happy childhood memories, annual traditions, summer vacations and faith building moments. The chair came from my grandparents' home. My grandma had a formal dining room with a beautiful table and fancy chairs. In the kitchen, was a plain table surrounded by mismatched chairs. My favorite thing was one of these chairs.
I sat around this table every summer of my childhood enjoying meals with my grandparents. Early in the morning, I could always find Grandpa in one of those chairs. He would be eating breakfast and reading his scriptures before starting another day on the farm. In the afternoons, my cousins and I would stir up a glass of Tang and snack on Grandma's Chex mix.
When I got older, I would stop by during a break in college classes for a visit. Grandma and Grandpa would be sitting at this table listening to Rush Limbaugh on the radio. We had great visits about politics, religion, and life.
Grandpa passed away first, almost a month after I had gotten married. Grandma lived for another 10 years before dying shortly after her 90th birthday. After Grandma's passing, my mom and her sisters had to go through Grandma's things. I asked if I could have a chair from the kitchen table.
Now one of those chairs sits in the corner of my bedroom. Each glimpse or use of this chair brings some of that joy back to me. Yes, it's just an ordinary chair. But it's my favorite thing.
What's your favorite thing? Share with us in the comments. If you're still looking for a favorite thing, head on over to our shop for some inspiration.