I’ve become guardian and protector of many of our family heirlooms. I’ve also begun the creation of new family heirlooms.
Not all of these new heirlooms have great intrinsic value. But to me, the creation of a new heirloom is more about sentimental, than intrinsic value. If it has no sentiment behind it, chances are it’s just "stuff."
So, although my awesome and amazing turbo whisk is incredible—it will never be a family heirloom. It neither has intrinsic value nor sentimental value.
My collection of necklaces and ear bobs may have intrinsic value, but to my son they’re just minerals.
Our collection of Dickens Village houses, however has become a family heirloom in the making. Each house was selected and added to the growing collection over a period of more than 25 years, with each family member in mind. Daughter Nicole chose the Cratchet family house with the real smoking chimney and the Nicolas Nickelby house to match her nickname.
Doug liked the train station and the mill with the rotating water wheel because—well, wheels back in Dickens’ day were as close to cars as a young boy could get.
Each year the boxes were opened amid delighted squeals and "ooohs." Each house was placed under the Christmas tree with care and adjusted and tweaked until that moment when the power strip trailing 20 cords attached to 20 houses was flipped on, bringing the village to "life."
The memories of the village include the train track that ran around the tree and through the village, the train never quite making it beyond its first rotation before jumping the track and landing in a polyester snow pile, but adding charm to the village nonetheless.
Memories include the daily readjustment of the wobbly trees and fences.
Memories include the white kitty cat who each year concluded we had placed the fluffy snow cloth under the tree for his specific sleeping pleasure.
Memories include sitting in the dark together, looking at the tree and the lights and the village and the cat. Not speaking. Just being together
As we close the end of 2012, once again I look forward to digging out those family heirlooms—only one generation old—and reliving the sentiment behind them. Family heirlooms in the making.
PRAYER: Thank you God for families and memories we can make together. Please give us more opportunities to create memories together and reminders of treasured times past. Amen.
WHAT ABOUT YOU? Do you have a new family heirloom in the making?
This post is part of the Christian Writer’s Blog Chain. Our theme for November is "heirloom." Please click on the links to the right to see what my friends have to say about our theme.
