I've shared this blog post before because it's one of my favorites, and I thought today would be the perfect day to share it again, this time a little bit revised.
Happy Mother's Day to all the moms out there!
Sometimes I think I have the best job in the world, getting to work with beautiful china pieces day in and day out...sometimes it actually feels more like a privilege than an actual profession.
There are sometimes moments when I stop and think, wow, this is what I do for a living, this is what I've been doing for so many years - and for that I am so fortunate.
After all, each of these plates and cups and saucers and other dinnerware pieces all have history behind them. They come from many different countries, from all around the world, and their beautiful patterns and colors give them a unique appeal that brings them to life unlike other ordinary household objects.
They're used in the kitchen, which I've always felt was the heart of the home. They're filled with cooking - which is in itself an effort of love. Once filled, they are handed to you, passed along, as we sit around a family table and pass the dishes from hand to hand, sharing what they hold.
We see them and touch them multiple times a day, every day. We use them and we take care of them, washing them carefully so that they don't break, and then putting them away in a safe place. We sometimes even have special ones that we bring out only for special occasions.
But often we treasure the most humble ones.
Who doesn't have a favorite coffee mug? Or one plate or bowl or other piece of dinnerwear that once belonged to someone else in their family?
They're a part of our family in some ways, a part of each of our own personal histories. Have you not once in your life been somewhere, maybe an antique market or thrift shop, and come across an orphaned plate or cup that you instantly recognized from somewhere in your own past?
At that moment of recognition, it isn't just "a plate" or "a cup," but "mom's plate," or "grandmother's cup." There is a connection. Often when that connection is made we find ourselves flooded with memories of family from long ago, or of our childhood, or of holidays and times past. If you're the sentimental type like I am, it can be a comforting experience.
I've been working with dishes for so long now that I know all the patterns by name. No, I don't talk to them, but in a way, they speak to me. I see them as valuable, not monetarily valuable, but valuable in a way that fills your soul with warmth and peace just as memories of loved ones do.
This was, after all, someone's grandmother's plate.
Someone just like you.
I hope you have a great week!
Love, Laura
article and all images copyright ©LauraBethLove 2017
