In every city, town and on-the-road, there are
individual antiques shops, antique malls with a plethora of booths showcasing
and selling everything from A to Z. Even yard and garage sales. It doesn’t
matter where you find your lost treasure and even if it is not exactly like the
one that perished. As long as it resembles the piece(s).
Start by either finding a photograph of the lost
item or search for a similarity online. In fact, it is possible to find most of
what is lost by simply sitting at the computer and let your fingers tap away.
Both ways, either physically or sitting and searching can help ease the pain of
loss and even offer a bit of fun while you go on the hunt, because one of the
greatest pleasures in life is when you find what you are looking for.
And after the replacement is completed, remember to
always take a photo of it and log the items history: where and when you
purchased it and what you paid for it. Insurance companies require
authentication on many things and more than ever on antiques and other valuable
items. It also provides a little piece of mind for you and your family.
Most of all, always remember that your memories will
continue to be there even if the object of that memory is no longer with you.
Life does go on and you never need to be without the things that make you
happy. So go on, go to that antique store and peruse the many things that will
take you down memory lane. And if and when that lost family heirloom is relocated,
please start a Family Museum with it and build around it. Make it grow and
flourish just as memories have over the years. Good luck!
The following page is a chapter taken from my book, Create a Family Museum and Save Your
History. The words focus on the heartfelt theory of why we save things. Enjoy!
Everyone has an opinion. Many, particularly those in the field of analyzing human behavior, who, with my pedestrian knowledge on the study of the brain, have come to the conclusion that they are even still confused about the whys and wherefores as to why people collect, even after all their exploration and evaluations are through. Therefore, to simply state it, people collect and people save. It’s only human nature that we do. So let’s start out with an uncomplicated theory: things give us comfort.
Accumulation
of things presents a tangible expression of a person or household. From the
decorations hanging on the walls, to whose photographs are on display, and what
collections are arrayed on mantelpieces. Material objects also help deal with
loss and change and provide comfort. Collecting is also a great hobby.
One can also learn about people through the medium of their things. There is a
complex role played by objects in our lives, and indeed in our relationships
with others. Becoming attuned to the presence of material forms can sometimes
speak more easily and eloquently to the nature of relationships than can people
themselves.
Does
this make any sense to you? Kind of, you may think. Say, for example, you
invite a new friend to your home and conversations are a bit awkward at first.
Then you point out your collections of antique paper weights, each having a
story to tell. Everyone had some kind of paper weight in their life and this
subject may induce a lively conversation that will create a comfort zone.
People like to tell stories and people like to hear them as long as you
involved them by asking questions about their collections.
https://www.amazon.com/Create-Family-Museum-Save-History/dp/0788457640/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1540153835&sr=1-1&keywords=elizabeth+Goesel
When people think of
collecting, they may imagine expensive works of art or historical artifacts
that are later sold to a museum or
listed on eBay. The truth is, for many
people who amass collections, the value of their collections are not monetary
but emotional —and often, not for sale. Collections allow people to relive their
childhoods, to connect themselves to a period in history or to a time they feel
strongly about. Their collections may help keep the past present, creating a comfortable
atmosphere in which to live. However, do you feel overwhelm with stuff, fear
that you are more connected to your material possessions more so then your
relationships with people? That the more materialistic you become the more
superficial you are, and that your relationships with people suffer as a
result? Hogwash! The opposite is true; that possessions often remain profound
and usually the closer our relationships are with objects, the closer are
relationships with people.”
Collectors
are really happy people. Collecting is still mostly associated with
positive emotions. There is the happiness from adding a new find to the
collection, the excitement of the hunt, the social camaraderie when sharing
their collection with other collectors. It is the comfort of things.
Excerpt from, “The Comfort of Things,” written
by Daniel Miller; Cambridge: Polity, 2008
My book can be purchased at either of these sites:
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