Pieces of You

There is a bit of wisdom that says "You are not the things you own." and there really is something to be said for that.  People often have or seek these signs of status or what-have-you to help define their lives - from "designer clothes" to expensive cars or expensive appliances and electronics, people often rely on these things to help define themselves and often use them as a basis of comparison to others.  When you read or think about this, it's easy to see that's foolish.

Yet there are some simple, little things that you remember - just objects you've owned that actually do define you, or moments in your life.  It can be something small - even a pin.  For me, I had a moment today with a couple of old couches we used to have in our family room.

I say "used to" because last night, my brother-in-law and I took them outside and put them to the curb to be collected with the trash.  They were just beat up old couches, yet when I looked at their soft-microplush coverings and comfy pillows, I was reminded of getting them.

My wife and I were young; it was the summer we married.  I was on dialysis, and she was working 12 hour overnight shifts and then coming home to put me on home hemo-dialysis.  We lived in a little ranch house with my brother; we were struggling to make ends meet, and working hard just to exist, but we were stupid happy, young and in love.  We had old furniture in the house; stuff I'd had since I was a dirty bachelor.  But we had a little money from wedding gifts, and we decided we'd get some new couches for the living room.  We went to a local furniture store; a family friend worked there, and told us to come in and pick what we liked.  He'd get us his discount as a gift - so we walked into the expansive store, and just strolled the aisles - looking for something we could afford with our budget.  These little acts seem so silly, but we were so proud of ourselves for being adults - walking into a furniture store and buying something NEW for ourselves!  We looked all over the store, and found a little set - brown microfiber, with comfy pillows and white tubing/trim.  It wasn't ostentatious, but it was nice, it was comfy and it was new - AND we could buy it.  So, that was it, we paid cash for the items, signed some papers, and in a few days, he helped us get it home in my truck.  We loaded the furniture into the house, and spent the day lounging on our new couches that we bought! We couldn't believe it... those couches were with us all through dialysis; I'd often collapse on them after a session.  We cuddled and watched a lot of movies on them; had friends over for parties.  Our little puppies grew up on them, falling asleep on the cushions like little princesses.  They moved with us from the house with my brother, to our first apartment on our own and now to our first house. 

This morning, I watched the trash collectors take my couches, put them in the back of the giant garbage truck, and compress them into the rest of the trash.  It seems silly, but I got a little emotional seeing that part of our lives, our past, go that way.  But such is the way of life - sometimes silly little things become icons of your life - your joys, your struggles, your dreams. It all fades someday, and you move on.  We bought new furniture weeks ago, and while it was nice to buy new furniture, it wasn't as thrilling and as exciting as when we were younger.  I do look forward, however, to spending many a night, watching TV with our son, reading books, and getting older together - all of us.

Farewell, couches.  Thanks for serving us so well.