Can We Talk 2

Collecting

         I went to an estate sale near my home. The old couple were collectors with many varied interests. It was wonderful to look at them all, many which were antiques. The items were not priced to move quickly.

         Once again, I was reminded how material things have such temporary value to us. It seems like most of us are collectors of something, sports memorabilia or whatever. Unless we have heirs interested in the same things, they will be sold off or donated upon our demise. The polite comments will be something like, "He certainly had a variety of tastes." The less kind will sound something like what I've heard, "What on earth was he thinking of? Spending all that money, going to all that trouble, and not enough space to display it (or store it)."

         But we just can't help ourselves. We see it, we want it, we get it the best way we can. I once collected coffee mugs from all the places I traveled. It looked like a tourist shop. But I moved too many times, and most of them have disappeared. I have a curio so full of bells that no one notices them. My brother died leaving me over 5000 comic books, most unwrapped, most mass produced, which means they have no value. First edition books need special storage. Antique lace and great grandma's hand-tatted tablecloth aren't items you can easily display or use without risk.

         I once babysat for a doctor who collected antique surgical tools. Those are of no value to anyone but another doctor, maybe, or a museum. Antique farm equipment is interesting, and expensive, but is only good to set around as an ornament that needs upkeep. A lady in my former town of residence collected anything with Campbell Soup kids on it. That's one of the more unusual ones I've heard of. She had a whole room devoted to them. Who knew so many objects had been made with that logo?

         Maybe it's our sense of ownership, or wealth, that collections feed. For some people, it may have been from being poor at some point, of not having enough, so now there is a lot, collected a little at a time. Maybe we're like squirrels, packing away nuts for a hard winter, but each with different ideas about the nuts. Or is it some misguided concept about the finer things in life?

         I had a friend who saved Southern Living magazine for years. They have beautiful pictures, great recipes, and travel ideas. They were downsizing, so she had to get rid of them. No one wanted her large collection. They went to the trash after all those years of storage and dusting and display. For some foolish reason, I once saved programs and ticket stubs from special events. I stopped that, and have thrown a few old ones away, if the programs didn't have a family member listed somewhere. I once saved greeting cards, but I got over that. My dad still has his and gets them out from time to time. He'll display one from Mom or some other family member. They obviously have sentimental value for him and keeping them makes him happy.

         Collections are a part of our lives. We cherish our own and don't understand someone else's. Painted plates, teaspoons with flowers, thimbles, pocket knives, duck calls, Thomas Kincaid anything, wooden toys, whatever you name, we collect them. And they might still be around after we aren't.