Everyday Embroidery

 

Don't judge me.  That's all I ask.

A thousand years ago when my husband and I were youngish, we stopped at an estate sale.  Now, admittedly, we rarely do this anymore since we are more inclined to get rid of things, but so it goes.

A little background . . . growing up, I always saw my mom doing cross-stitch embroidery.  I grew to love it as well, and did my fair share of pillowcases and so forth, until they shrunk the patterns and it got harder to read them, ha ha. While my mom would tackle a bedspread, it was far too big a project for me, so I stuck to smaller things.  Sometimes though, when my grandma came over, we would all work on it together.

Anyway, so there we were, my husband and I, at this estate sale, and lo and behold, there was an entire dish set of everyday-china with a pretty pink-flowered cross stitch pattern right in the middle of the gold-rimmed plates! 

I didn't care that it was used; it was so pretty, and it was only like $5.00 for the whole set.  

Now I have to say, quite honestly, that this was well over 30 years ago.

Of course we've talked from time to time about replacing them, but I just love the pattern so much and they fit well in our cupboard and they suited us just fine, so yes, here we are, still using them. I am slightly embarrassed to say that, but truthfully, my husband has never been able to pry them out of my little hands, try as he might.  I think he has finally given up.

The day of the estate sale, I asked to talk to the woman getting rid of them, as I knew that it was probably hard on her to let all of her stuff go.  I did share a couple of minutes with her and let her know that we would be using her dishes and would appreciate them.   She mostly sat quiet in the front room of her aging house, in sort of a daze.

I don't suppose I really have a point to telling you all of this, except to say that we should appreciate things--and people--even though they may have aged.  Respect is the word that comes to mind.  And value.

Yes, we need more respect in this world and we need to value all that God has created.  He has created this beautiful world and everything--and everyone--in it.  I am so grateful for all of his blessings.  I have no doubt that the woman we bought the dishes from is long gone, but somehow I still feel a little connected to this stranger that I never actually knew.

I wonder if when I am gone, these dishes will be sold at my estate sale for $5.00.  If so, maybe their life will continue.  I suppose someone might break them up and glue them onto a flower pot so they can add a little beauty to the world. 

Like all of us, they have lost a little of their brilliance and suffered a chip here and there, but doesn't that just make them (and us) more interesting?

Janet Cassidy
janetcassidy.com
#estatesales
#creation