As I drove up to the multi-storied house, the ‘Estate Sale’ sign reminded me of my mission. Look for something I could use at work — something that might bring encouragement to the women I coached: a pot of flowers, beautiful cards, a trinket to give away.
What I did not expect to find was a story.
I joined the crowd of people who poked through bedrooms, closets and the kitchen — each of us searching for treasures at a reduced price.
Empathy set in as I realized this was a family who had just buried their matriarch. Now they were selling her house and sorting through what she left behind, offering pieces of her life to strangers. What sort of life did she live?
The question hounded me even as I began to discover clues to her story. In the garage, colorful pots for the cuttings of flowers or plants. The texture of the pots described a woman attracted to pottery rather than spray-painted plastic. A woman who appreciated the genuine.
A stack of books pulled me like a magnet into the intrigue of her life. Most of us can tell our stories by the choices of books we keep on our shelves. This woman read financial summaries and economic reports. A mathematical mind, detailed, and carefully constructed to pay attention to pi, cosign and greater than.
Another pile of books about alternative health. Was she sickened by a disease no one could treat, so she tried to find help beyond the traditional medical community? Did any of the vitamins, acupuncture, or colloidal treatments give her a few more years of quality life?
No books on religion. No Bibles. No creative poetry or coffee table books, unless her family had already sequestered those to keep alive memories of Mom and Grandmother.
The basement was filled with Christmas decorations. Obviously a woman who loved the holidays and filled her lavish home with pine wreaths, Scandinavian villages that lit up, and oversized ornaments, sparkling in the dim basement light.
The story of her life became even more clear as I sorted through bedding, crept into closets, and fingered vintage textures. This woman knew her own style and didn’t care for polyester cutouts that looked like everyone else. In the kitchen, more health-conscious books about nutrition, cooking without cholesterol, how to incorporate chicken instead of beef into favorite recipes.
Suddenly a wave of grief washed over my soul as I chose a casserole pan, wondering how many chicken meals she fixed in that particular dish before she finally succumbed to the frailty of her last days.
Before payment at the front parlor check-out, I walked through the house once more, prayed for the grieving family, found a few more treasures, and considered how story follows us throughout life.
What kind of story would my life tell, and how was it accented by my stuff? If someone looked through my bookshelves, could they determine I am a student of theology, a creative writer, and a woman who loves the colorful textures of the Southwest?
I came away from that estate sale lugging a garden birdhouse with its trailing ivy, a package of Christmas bulbs in my favorite dark purple, the casserole pan, and a story that emanated from the treasures of one life.
Stories are all around us. We just have to be alert for them. But in considering our own stories, our stuff reflects who we are and tells how we chose to live.
©2024 RJ Thesman – All Rights Reserved
Image by Donatella D’Anniballe / Unsplash
For a study to take you into fall, check out It’s All About Trust: How to Grow Your Trust in God.
I love this piece. It is very thought-provoking. It also inspires me to clean out some junk. 🙂
Naomi
Me, too, Naomi – always more to give away !
Good story. You can tell a lot about a person by his things.
So true! Thanks for the comment!
When I have the opportunity to go to an estate sale, I also find myself thinking about who the people were based on their possessions. Sometimes I am slightly embarrassed as if I’m an uninvited guest. I don’t want to be disrespectful to them by “pawing” through their possessions.