People are often asked what they will grab if there is a fire and they can only grab one thing. But is it really the "thing" we are preserving?
A person on FB told the story of how her mother had saved a few pieces of the Four Points building when it was torn down in West Palm Beach. Anyone who came to town afterward would never know about the building, but all the people who had shopped there remembered. Her mother understood that as they held those chunks of cement, they would say, "Remember when..."
Museums have photos of humankind's achievements, but it isn't until they have interactive exhibits and we can touch, that we feel connected. When we visit a place, we collect souvenirs so that we can remember our visit. That place is now a part of us and any time we hold the memento, we are there with those who shared that experience.
In this time of thanksgiving and of sharing, another story is brought to mind. While attending a fund-raising event for literacy, I bought a raffle ticket. The prize was a teapot and much to my surprise, I won. The teapot bore the imprint "Made in occupied Japan". I asked about the teapot and learned that it had belonged to Stella, the mother of Jane, the president of the group of women running the event. While Jane spoke of her mother, her gaze grew soft and she smiled. Time lost meaning. We laughed. We nodded. We sighed together. When I asked why she was giving away her teapot, she said, "Because literacy was a cause my mother believed in so this would have made her happy." This was a teapot about love and looking out for others, of giving instead of holding on. This was Stella's teapot.
At Distinctly Florida, we hope that you take time to take care of yourselves at this special time of the year. So many voices shouting for your attention, but the only ones that count are the ones that build memories and history and love. We give thanks for you, our customers. Take time to be with those you love. Be at peace. Blessings and may the warmth of the Florida sun always be with you.
