I can still remember making my first "grown up" purchase. It was a bright spring day, and my brother Paul and I had accompanied my mom and grandma on one of their many garage sale trips. I'm always hopeful to find a treasure when I go to garage sales, but it's usually in the form of clothes, books or knick knacks. This day was different. As I walked up to the first house of our garage sale endeavor, I noticed a small table with four chairs placed at the top of the driveway. It was beautiful. Deep cherry, it was modern and still kept a classic feel. It was perfectly smooth, no scratches, and it shined in the early morning sun. Although I didn't need a table at the time, I just had to have it. The woman informed me that she and her husband had recently purchased it, but realized they needed a bigger table. She was selling it for $140. Substantially out of my price range. Besides, I didn't even need a table. I told her no thanks, but she quickly responded by saying she would give it to me for $100. Sold!
My brother Paul and I went to the bank where I withdrew $100 and then we loaded it into the back of his mini van. I was so proud driving home as I looked back at my wonderful table. It sat in my parent's basement until Nathan and I got married. After we were married, we moved into a home in Springfield. I finally had a kitchen to display my table in. It traveled with us across three states to our current home in Ohio. Strategically positioned in our small dining room, it has served it's purpose well.
Today as I was cleaning up the kid's lunch mess, I decided to take some extra time to really clean the table. I was shocked at what I saw. This wasn't the same, amazing table I had purchased just a few years ago. It no longer shined like it once did. The varnish had been rubbed off and sticky fingers had left a permanent film over the table. It was different. But it was better. I noticed pen marks left by little hands creating a masterpiece. Deep gashes in the legs of the table as the result of eager helpers cleaning up after dinner. And the stickiness... oh, the stickiness! I can only imagine how many peanut butter and honey sandwiches have been devoured at this table! No, this wasn't the same beautiful table I was so proud of. It was a different kind of beautiful. It now holds the beauty that my children have so lovingly etched into it's very grain.
7 comments:
you are so good at writing:0) heather brodbeck
wow, sis. i loved it. you truly have a way of bringing a scene into focus with words.
this should be in a chicken soup for the soul book LOVAH
ah Sandra, very nice thoughts. good focus on the important things in life. That will be a much used and much loved table. Hope to see you soon. thanks for stopping by my blog. Merry Christmas, Linda
Your husband sent Tam's readers here, and I'm so glad he did! I actually shed a tear~I LOVED THIS! (((((HUGS))))) sandi
i absolutely love that you saw this in your table. about your table. ON your table.
there is a sweet letter etched on a corner of our dining room table. its a letter to my daughter from a family friend. it tells of how much she is loved and ho much Jesus loves her ( and other sweet friend things ) but i just love to run my fingers over the words. it just blesses me.
we've thought about sanding and refinishing the table - but the family handprint simply prevents us from doing so. its gonna stay this way forever...
im sorry. the above comment is from me, not my son dakota. he was signed in on my computer earlier...
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