Over 60 years ago my grandparents began collecting these:
This past weekend as we did a purge through the house readying things for sale my husband took me down to the basement. "No, there's nothing down here to go" said I. He led me to the "other side" of the basement (the unfinished, I'm freezing craft "studio"/junque storage area), around the corner and over to the piece of furniture under the work table. Dread crept in as I begin to see where he was heading with this. Sliding open the drawers he began pulling things out and then came to the steins. "No pressure. You don't have to get rid of them if you don't want to but I thought maybe you'd forgotten about them." Oh crud. I don't want to face this. My grandparents have been gone for quite some time. They never got to meet or even know about my kids. The steins have a long past and they have been sitting in this piece of furniture since we packed them and moved them from Maryland FIVE YEARS AGO!
I knew he was right. I don't love them. They aren't my style. I have some glass steins that were part of their collection and those I really do like. These and a few more just aren't me. They don't say anything about who I am or what I like. I've been holding on to them because...I'm supposed to? It's the right thing? They would want me to? In a weird way it's like holding on to the past - to some vision of what was.
He was right. I knew, even as the dread crept in, that he was right. It's time for them to go. Truth be told my grandparents would like nothing better than to know that I sold them, took the money and put it in the kids college funds. I know this deep down but it still feels wrong. Like last year when I sold the various coins (do all grandfathers give their grandkids silver dollars and wheat pennies?!) I'd been given to help us pay to fix the water leak in the basement.
So they're going. It will be fine. Stuff does not memories make but it sure is easy to lose sight of that.
11 comments:
Glad you were able to work this out...You are right. You will always have your memories.
Lezlee
I know it's hard to get rid of things that once belonged to people we love. You have a wonderful photo of the steins. It would look great framed as a wonderful reminder of this special collection that belonged to your grandparents.
Jane
I agree it is so hard to let go but you are thinking in the right direction. You need to keep what you love. I have items I know my children will not care about and I will make a decision about selling some of them soon. It's hard to do I know!
I imagine your grandparents would be happy for you to "release" the steins to someone who will love them just as much as they did. You'll have the photo of the steins, the money in the college fund and, most importantly, the memories of your grandparents!
I can really relate to this post. I'm glad that you came to a decision and are ready to move on. I'm sure your grandparents would be thrilled to be able to help out with college expenses.
Your Grandpa sounds like mine;) And, Yes all Grandpa's of the 60's must've given silver dollars and pennies..Great-Grandpa was Walking Lasy Libery dollar and Indian Head nickles...LOL
But now the steins and story are here for us to see, for you to revisit. So much better than tucked away in a basement. And someone else will fill them with new stories.
It is hard to let things like that go...memory of a person and what they collected. You have a photo of them and if you ever need to revisit just go to this post. I have let stuff like that go too...it really is not appreciated and let is go to someone who will love it as much as your grandparents. Think of it as passing the love on (and you will get a bit of cashola to boot)
This is my first visit to your site...and yes...I too have many thinkgs given to me by my Grandparents...silver dollars and dimes too...and it is hard to give them a new home...someone out there is going to be so excited to have these in their home!
Oh, I know exactly how hard it is to get rid of things like that. My reasoning would be maybe my kids or grandkids would want them and I'd hang onto them.
I love the idea of having an occasional sale at your house. It's something I've always thought about doing.
I'm your newest follower! I'd love for you to visit my blog, Excuse Me While I Buy This Junk. I've got a giveaway going on this month, too.
It is hard to let things go, but it is OK to let them go. My grandpa gave us silver dollars too!
Post a Comment