" That Old Thing ? "

A while back I was doing some work for a elderly lady. Her husband had passed some years earlier and some minor maintenance work needed doing. I installed a sump pump in her basement. Her basement was full of odds and ends from a lifetime. She expressed an interest in cleaning out this basement. I agreed to help in this effort. In all this clutter and mess I saw an old fashioned lunch box. A black metal one, round topped, complete with the thermos. That lunchbox took me back in time. My own Dad and many others that I knew had used one just like it. This lady said it had been her husbands and he had taken it to work for many years. She subsequently gave it to me. I have it sitting on top of my kitchen cabinets. I like it.

When I see that lunchbox I am reminded of times long gone. I can see the contents. A sandwich,wrapped in wax paper, an apple, a small bag of chips and home made cookies. Occasionally there would be a piece of cake, wrapped in that waxed paper and a fork from the kitchen rattling around. The thermos would have coffee. That was lunch. I see my Dad and his co-workers sitting on some construction materials eating. There was no refrigeration of the food and no hand sanitizer. There was a paper napkin in there but that served more as a plate than anything else. It was pretty much the same scenario for me taking my lunch to school. Only difference was I ate in the cafeteria. 

The value of that object lies in my memories. That is the reason people treasure these things. They have no monetary value whatsoever. Everyday,seemingly insignificant things. There is just no telling what those objects may be. They are as different as the people that retain such things. One does have to guard against just collecting junk. Every object you recognize from the past is not necessary to have. I do try to be selective. Some of that is because I have limited funds and space, and some I attribute to common sense.

That is also why some old stuff does not survive. That old lunchbox has no meaning to my children. It is not attached to me. When I pass and my stuff is gone through I'm sure it will be discarded as just that " old thing. " Someone may wonder why I saved " that old thing. " The lady that gave it to me had saved it because it was her husband's. She felt a connection, How many times she had filled that box  I can not know, but can imagine. She did reach a point in time where that object became " that old thing " to her. For whatever reason the connection was lost and the sentiment died. I can understand that, but can't explain it. Only she would know.

These little connections to the past can be found everywhere and at anytime. You can't go looking for them however. I think doing so taints the process. Connections like that have to be spontaneous. With that lunchbox, that was the feeling. An instantaneous reaction.  I saw it and I saw my Dad. I have some other " old stuff " that I enjoy but that does not hold that connection.

I would say this is a reflection of a portion of my personality. I like people and enjoy their company. I also only call a few of these people close friends. I have many acquaintances but few I feel connected to. You could call that connection love and it wouldn't be too much of a stretch. Connections, ties, or sentiment, whatever moniker you choose the feeling is the same. That same feeling does vary in strength. Degrees of love ? No, I don't think there are, either you do or you don't. That would explain why the attachment breaks. Love never dies or breaks. It is only our treatment of that love that may change. The focus of our attention may indeed shift. Does that indicate the loss of love or that it never existed ? Ah, but that is another topic altogether. Are all connections love ? No, but connections are a channel. You must follow those channels to discover the destination. Some of that " old stuff " serves as markers, or buoys if you will. Good things to observe as you navigate life. Some you create yourself and others are just left behind.