The Umbrella
It’s just an ordinary unbrella.
In fact, as umbrellas go, it’s actually not really that good. Oh, sure; it keeps the rain off ya. But still; it’s kinda small, and not all that well-made. It hangs on one of the doorknobs on the inside of the doors to my home office.
Every time I close the doors (like when I’m on the phone – or, er, hiding from household chores), I see it hanging there. It’s not that it represents that big an investment (it cost me less than 4 dollars) or that it works particularly well (it’s so small it barely covers the heads of two people – and we’re talkin’ two really close people!)
If you go around the corner, in the coat closet are bigger, better umbrellas galore. There’s one or two that fold up really small, yet somehow manage to spread out to a quite impressive size. I’ve also got two “golf” umbrellas (so-called because they’re big enough to swing a golf club under without you or the club getting wet.)
Yet this one is my favorite. Why is that, you ask? Well, as you may have guessed, it’s because it reminds me of a special time, and a special place: this is the umbrella I bought underneath the Eiffel Tower on the day we visited back in April of 2000. (In case you’re interested, I recommend you read about that fateful day in my story, Ah, Paris in the Spring. Trust me, it’ s well worth it.)
Anyhoo; that’s the real value of this little inexpensive gizmo; that it brings back a rush of wonderful memories of Mrs. MZM and I when we were in Paris. And I’ll tell ya; there’s no way to put a price on that!
When you think about it, it’s amazing the power a simple little object can hold, isn’t it? In fact, there’s an amazing number of objects around our house that are simple little things – things like a stone, a piece of driftwood, or a garage sale purchase – that truly fill our hearts and minds with memories every time we see ‘em. I bet it’s the same at your house.
So What’s YOUR Object?
So for today, let’s share a few good memories together. Take a moment and pick out your favorite item around the house, won’t you? Maybe it’s something that reminds you of a wonderful friend, a devoted spouse, or even a beautiful view you’re reminded of.
Now, down in the comment box, why don’t you tell us what it is, where you got it, and what it brings to mind, won’t you? I’ll leave the light on for ya.
![Reblog this post [with Zemanta]](http://img.zemanta.com/reblog_b.png?x-id=6d2355b0-feca-4a7b-ad57-7b90d0ad0ece){kind=small}
23 responses so far
Middle Zone Musings is a comfortable place to stop, have a cup of coffee, swap a few stories and share practical ideas for the real world. I don't ask for much, just a bit of your brain every now and then. Have a seat, take a load off, and relax...
Ah, a long hand carved walking stick made from a branch found on a hike as a kid. Wife wishes it would disappear. Kids used it in dangerous ways. For a time my connection to Gandolf. Not sure of the wood type, but bleached white, almost bone, with a length that manages to be both twisted and straight at the same time. There is nowhere convenient for this shoulder high specter. Always manages to fall from the corner with aim for a perfect trip and simply not decorative enough to be allowed out on the wall. Now smooth with age and still taken out for the occasional jaunt through what passes for woods in these parts it reminds me of time spent with Dungeons and Dragons, scouts and hikes, carefree younger days.
.-= Fred H Schlegel´s last blog ..Why ATT Is Fabulous and Why Comcast Should Not Be On Twitter. =-.
@Fred – Hey, I like it! Think of the many miles you and that stick have traveled, Fred! I’m reminded of Dr. Seuss’ book: Oh the Places You’ll Go!
.-= Robert Hruzek´s last blog ..The Umbrella =-.
Robert, Wonderful post! This is exactly the way I like to remember my travels. On my desk is a cheap plastic ashtray from an early 1980s trip to Greece, a cracked and chipped ceramic ashtray from a later trip to France, and a coffee thermos from a trip to Alaska. Mrs. Word Sell and I are both collectors of this sort of stuff; we can’t walk anywhere in the house without bumping into something that reminds us of something nice. May your umbrella last many more years!
.-= Brad Shorr´s last blog ..How Should You Select Categories for Your Business Blog? =-.
@Brad – Yup; and half the fun of walkin’ around the house is sharing those memories all over again, y’know? I love that we can hardly walk anywhere without those memories…
All my trips were of the backpacking type, with little to no money, so today I have little to show for it except for the pictures I took along the way (which are now rapidly deteriorating… there weren’t any digital cameras back then).
Well, I think one of my favorite objects are a piece of lava stone from a vulcano. My girlfriend and I took a piece each, so we have it put on each of our “places”, mine is next to my Mac Mini mediacenter, of course
.-= Klaus @ TechPatio´s last blog ..Facebook: World’s 4th Most Visited Website. Google: Brand Value $100 Billion =-.
Oh Robert, how beautiful. One of my favorite objects is a little bell. It was my Grandmother’s bell passed down to my mom. It’s a tiny bell that fits easily in the palm of your hand. When I was little my mom would give me the bell to ring when I was sick so I wouldn’t have to cry out for her with a sore or achy throat. The bell made me feel so secure knowing that “Mommy” would come right away if I felt hot, cold, hungry or thirsty or just needed a hug. No matter how often I rang that bell, my mom would come and gently tend to my needs with a loving hand. So, now that she is gone the bell reminds me of how much she loved me and how much her Grandmother loved her.
.-= Karen Swim´s last blog ..Designing Your Reinvention =-.
@Mei – Well, I guess I can understand not picking up too many additions to your rock collection when you’re backpacking, Mei! But at least you have your memories and those photos. I’ve got the same problem with many of our old photos. Get those babies scanned as soon as possible before they disappear forever!
@Klaus – Well, at least it’s in a significant spot, Klaus! Hey, maybe you should rack it up there next to the Puppies on a Roll toilet paper!
@Karen – Gee, I had a bell like that too – a little silver bell that fit into a small silver stand. I recall a particular bout with the flue when I was a kid; had Mom running that time! But it does speak of love…
Thanks for sharing the memory, Karen! A tip o’ the hat to ya!
It made me smile. I once had a purple unbrella just like that on a weekend break in Amsterdam, Holland. It was romantic weekend but the photos were marred by the appearance of a purple umbrella under my arm in every shot. It was like a lucky mascot.
.-= mdoherty´s last blog ..Top treadmills at low prices =-.
@M – Hey, nothing wrong with that – folks looking at the photos will probably assume you’re English! (Bwa-ha-ha-ha! Er, sorry.)
No, just kidding, M; but now it reminds you of a great time, right?
The first thing that comes to mind is an old, white t-shirt from a good friend of mine. It is special because I was wearing it when my son arrived into the world during his homebirth. It represents not only that special day, but a special attitude–because with that decision to homebirth, I went “against the mainstream” and found a lot of courage from it.
.-= Karen Putz´s last blog ..Lions Camp for Deaf and Hard of Hearing Kids =-.
@Karen – How cool! Now that’s a special memory attached to an item you love to keep around! But then again, I’ve pretty much always seen you as an “against the mainstream” sorta gal!
Bubba,
I smile just thinking about favorite objects – and that’s the whole point, isn’t it? To bring a little joy into the day! I have a vase filled with rocks I’ve picked up on my travels – there’s some from Greece, Scotland, Rome, Alaska. There’s a couple from Jerusalem that a long since deceased customer of mine gave me many years ago. He promised there was power in those rocks – that Jesus probably walked on them. I have a picture of me and Buzz Lightyear framed and hanging on the wall. Yup, that Buzz Lightyear. I’m grinning like an idiot and just thrilled to be hanging out with Buzz. My sister took that – at Disneyquest and it always makes me think of her. You can look around my house (my grandson says “G-ma, it looks like Pier One in here!”) and be surrounded by momentos!
thanks for making me smile today!
Deb
@Deb – You’re exactly right; these objects serve as anchors, so to speak, that connect us with the thoughts, feelings, and images we treasure. That’s why we do it, I think.
My wife and I have an empty wine bottle that we’ve kept for 18 years, it was our first one we shared.
.-= Jonathan´s last blog ..PUEBLO DRY CARPET CLEANING =-.
@Jonathan – Hey, nice, Jonathan! That’s definitely a great “anchor”!
Well, Robert. I have an antique charcoal pressing iron, which is more than 40 years old. It’s my grandmother’s gift to my mother, but my mother had passed it to me on 10 years ago… To me, this iron have many memorable moment, as I remembered my granny used to iron the clothes with it, when I was five-year-old. Although she’d passed away, but her spirit is never gone…!
@Wilson – Hey, it’s nice to have mementos like that to remind us of loved ones no longer around. Over in the corner of my office is an old, broken-but-repaired baseball bat. It belonged to my father-in-law. When I met him for the first time he threatened to beat me with it if I mistreated his daughter. I know he was joking, but it was always a great laugh between us. It’s a great reminder.
that one’s nothing like this one though, http://funcfash.com/2009/09/break-your-opponents-with-the-unbreakable-umbrella/
@Franklin – I gotta admit, that’s one heckuva powerful umbrella!
it’s amazing the power a simple little object can hold.yes, under the umbrella ,it might be romantic to walk in the rain with honey.it might be warm to hold umbrella with sister.what the umbrella holds is love.