vera-glasses

The magazine article was about a mom around my age who was trying to convince her 30-something daughter to take Great-Grandma’s set of good china that had been packed away in the attic for twenty years. Daughter wasn’t interested; Mom tried to guilt her into taking it.

It’s part of your heritage.

 The daughter responded with something close to, “Mom, it’s been in your attic for twenty years, and before that in Grandma’s basement for fifteen years, ever since Great-Grandma died. I’ve never seen it, let alone had dinner served on it. I have no memories tied to it. So it’s nothing to me.”

Sometimes I feel like that Mom as I try to downsize my belongings. Why aren’t family members interested in having all this stuff?!

I don’t have any kitchen-related heirlooms packed away in an attic or basement. But I do have some in a cabinet that’s inaccessible without a stepstool. So they may as well be in an attic since they are out of sight and out of mind. They haven’t been used in a long time.

I myself have no memory of using the glasses and dishes at either of my grandmothers’ homes. People of that generation and prior SAVED the good stuff. The question begs to be asked: Saved for what?  Or whom? Because it wasn’t as if either set of grandparents ran in affluent social circles or had elaborate dinner parties. I think the good stuff was saved to be passed down so someone else could save them to pass along again.

Recalling that article, I realized I needed to create memories with the heirlooms. That way, in forty years as friends and  family gather to celebrate my life after my funeral, someone in the family will say, “Oh yes! I remember how pretty these glasses looked on Norma’s dinner table. Of course I’d LOVE to have them! Thank you for asking.”

So at today’s family get-together at my home, Grandmother Vera’s gold-rimmed glassed will be part of the table setting. Who cares that they are NOT dishwasher-safe, and so will need to be hand-washed. Not I, surely,  since I’m not on dish detail today!

So here’s my advice: Quit saving dishes and related items for ultra-special occasions. Use them NOW in your daily life. It’s a scientific fact that food tastes better when it’s served on beautiful plates. OK, I made that up, but I say it all the time to my husband when he pulls out a paper plate for his sandwich.

Set a beautiful table, even if you’re having leftovers. Even if you’re eating alone.

Create a memory today.

To my readers:  Tell us what’s going on your table tonight.