This used to be my life. A good period in my long life.
Things were so very different then from now. I really miss those days.
I spent a lot of time with great friends, vivacious, younger than me friends,
who shared my love of the 'old ways' in many ways. . . . . .the best of which was
becoming a lover of antiques and vintage decor.
Our shopping forays were fabulous 'treasure hunts' to places I never knew existed.
Our finds were often extraordinary.
Little treasures from years ago.
Holding history in your hand is a wonderful feeling.
The loss of my antiquing friends who have moved away, and my last ten years
of travel which took me afar, have changed me and my life. I no longer take time
to treasure hunt, to meet up with people who love the old, and I miss that.
This time of surviving a pandemic has kept me at home. Looking around at
things I care about, things which bring back special memories, are helping
me through this time.
Meanwhile, to those who are wanting to erase history with acts so
unbearable to watch, I say please stop. Think more deeply about what
you are doing before tugging that rope or spraying that paint can.
Whether a larger than life statue, or a tiny glimmering crystal dangling from what
may be your grandmother's chandelier, history is our past and it is so
important to hold on to it.
Are you well, managing your life, and finding happiness in small things? I truly hope so.
💛
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It is so sad that people are throwing away our history with this nonsense that has been going on. All history is of value even if it shows a side of man that was less than kind.
ReplyDeleteI could not agree more, Mary. I love the old ways and old things, too.
ReplyDeleteDenise at Forest Manor
Could you treasure hunt in and around your own area? That's what I have always done anyway, since I rarely travel. Maybe a local friend or a relative would go with you if you don't want to go alone? Depending on my mood, I either go alone, with my hubby, or with my mom and aunt.
ReplyDeleteAnd yes, I am well and finding small pleasures in daily life. I hope you are, too.
xoxo
Whether we like all of our history or not it is something that we cannot change or wipe the slate clean by pretending it didn't happen. It makes me ponder the question 'where will it all end'.
ReplyDeleteI do love all of your little artefacts that you have acquired over the years when you were out antique hunting with your likeminded friends.
As I have mentioned on my blog I am heartbroken by all of this, it does not seem to serve any puepose and often times is so random. As many have mentioned if the names and faces of these men are so offensive why are we not asking Yale university to change it's name? If Thomas Jefferson is so offensive why not get rid of the Library of Congress which was started with 1000 books from his own library, what about the University of Virginia which he founded. The sad fact is that slavery is part of our history, and the history of many other countries around the world. This violence is not the way to change. And frankly now that BLM are calling for the destruction of the Virgin Mary and the Baby Jesus....there are no words for that. I cannot even image what will happen if people start to desecrate churches.
ReplyDeleteOnce this is over I would love to go hunt for treasures with you!
Take care my friend, keep your chin up and your spirits as well, better days are ahead.
I have good days and some not as good days dealing with the pandemic in my little life. I know I have had to limit my time watching or reading news. Life has certainly changed again, which is not anything new. I hope and pray that some compromises, some new approaches and some new science and medicines can help us move forward to live in better ways. Removing statues can not erase history, but it can only stop public viewing. Many statues might be better appreciated in private museums, available for viewing and safe from destruction. I have felt for awhile that the world was moving too fast and we live like hamsters on a treadmill. I wished for slower and simpler times, never thinking that it may come in the form of a virus. As all generations have seen difficult times, survived and grown, we will also. We must be patient, understanding, strong and hopeful. I remind myself of this every day. I miss spending time with friends, smiling and talking to someone that I just may run into every now and then. I miss spending time in my local antique stores, sampling or testing new shades of makeup, and searching through the "good" thrift store for a great bargain. As we get older, we lose so many people in our circle, I find myself looking forward to better days with my family and friends. Maybe we will be a little better having survived these times.
ReplyDeleteYou have put this so well, Mary. I agree wholeheartedly. We cannot change the past and people are not all bad or all good- we are all human, with human foibles, and also products of our time and culture. Erasing the past won't help one bit. Tim and I ate out on the patio this evening, with the climbing John Cabot rose shading us. I joked to Tim that the rose's name is probably politically incorrect since he was an explorer. Sigh.
ReplyDeleteWell said, Mary. I love to see pictures of your beautiful antiques, and have loved antique shopping all my life. If I lived near you, I would want to go out looking with you! I too am saddened by the attitudes to history, one of my favourite areas of study. The same movement is happening in Australia, much of it ignorant interpretations of the past, taken completely out of context. Statues are threatened, place names changed, and so it goes. This week our Government has changed the fee structures for Universities, making an Arts degree (which I have and treasure) extremely expensive, while greatly lowering the costs for teaching and engineering - they see it as favouring areas which provide employment. Maybe it will work and maybe not, but there is quite an outcry about removing free thought and reason from academia. Take care dear Mary, and enjoy your lovely garden. Let us hope the pandemic can be overcome some time soon. xx
ReplyDeleteLife has become a new normal it seems, but it does feel a bit isolating and sad at times. A few days ago I did sneak out to the antique mall by myself. I got there when they first opened and there were very few people around. I donned my mask and quickly strolled through. I was on a mission for find a small table for my newly arranged studio/office in our second bedroom. I have total rearranged and it feels so good. I did find that table too. In and out in 30 minutes, snapped a couple pictures, avoided one couple that liked visiting in the aisle, and no line at the register. Oh it felt good to something almost normal. It soothes my soul to go alone and stroll through an antique mall with my camera even if I don't buy.
ReplyDeleteDear Mary,
ReplyDeleteYour wooden doll is a treasure. Think of what she has witnessed in her long life. She has survived and so will we. So many serious studies are underway to release a viable antivirus medication is just around the corner. I just know it.