I found a book on my mother’s bookcase called “Taking Things Seriously: 75 objects with unexpected significance”. It’s a book that features a picture of each object and then a little story written by the owner of said object. They write about where it comes from and why they have kept it. It’s one of those gift books that one would likely not buy themselves. I was looking for something to read that wasn’t murderous and this seemed interesting enough to fit the bill. I crawled into my electric blanket heated bed with the book and began to read about all sorts of people with bizarre and strange objects they have found, been given and cannot part with. Most of the items were not attractive or useful things – they are not kept for their inherent beauty or functionality.
Here at my mom’s house, things that are not used or not functional or ugly are not kept. Todd encourages Mom to toss anything that is no longer being used and Mom enjoys the feeling of purging items from the place. There are plenty of meaningful objects here in the house – but they are attractive (at least to my mom) or used.
Writing this, I feel like I should now tell you about some ugly item that either my mom or brother keep or that I keep that fits the book theme. But I cannot think of anything that would quite work. Nor when I cast my memory to our place. Perhaps I have missed the experience of finding a random object during a period of flux in my life that I assign meaning to and hold on to. This concerns me, perhaps I need more conversation pieces around my home?
I do have my own treasures that others may toss. A magnet that says “Happiness” received at my wedding shower. It sits in the unusual location on bedroom reading light so I have to touch it frequently and think Happiness. I think it is attractive, and could be used as a magnet again and thinking about happiness is good. I have a $5 chip from Casino Niagara that I really should cash in one day, but I like the reminder of gambling during my time at Mac when I really shouldn’t have been gambling. I wonder where that is right now? I hold on to it, in case we ever go to the Casino again. $5 is $5, afterall.
March 3 Extra-Ordinary: The useless and ugly do not exist in my life when I can avoid it.
The Daily EO 