Smashed...

When I was a little kid my mother bought a set of wrought iron furniture for our porch. There was a sofa, two easy chairs, a coffee table and side tables, and a glass topped dining table. She was so proud of that furniture; it was a happy time. Over the years the cushions were recovered and the furniture painted, but it was always beloved. The arrival of summer was heralded by the furniture being brought up from the basement to decorate the porch, and many happy meals and laughs happened there.

When we moved to this house, my sister (who bought the family house and inherited the set) kindly sent me the dining table from the set for our wonderful new porch. I love the way it looks,and treasure the memory of my moms happiness and fun times around that table. However, recently when we turned our porch into my grooming studio there was no longer a place for the table. I tried it on the deck, it was too big. I moved it to our front room, where it sort of worked, but not really. Again, too big. I had about made the decision to find the table a new home.

And then, a few days ago I came downstairs to see this sight.





The chandelier over the table had decided to take a dive sometime in the night, and smashed the glass topped table into a bazillion smithereens. It took me a moment to grasp what had happened. Meanwhile the dogs were tap dancing around wanting to go outside... and I was worried they would slice their little paws on all that glass. I got them outside and tackled the project of cleaning up the mess. Giant shards were stabbed into the wooden floor, tiny flecks were jammed into the spaces between the boards. It seems my decision had been made for me. The out of place table was badly broken.



Letting go of things that we are firmly attached to is hard, even when we don't have a need for them anymore. I have to remind myself that the happy memories are not permanently attached to the "thing." The table can go grace another persons home and the happy times from my past can still live on in my mind.