The Meaning of Things

Things do matter.

For years, I tried to convince myself that things don’t matter. I was wrong.

This morning, I opened a Christmas gift from my sister (pictured in this blog).

The thing opened my heart.

It was a teapot that belonged to my mother. In my home growing up, it was displayed on an out-of-the-way shelf but for some reason, it holds special memories for me. It reminds me of my mom.

After my mother passed away 20 years ago, I was heart broken when we had to give her things away. Because I was from out of town when her things were dispersed, I wasn’t even sure where some of her special things were.

I had to let go of that. For years, I have been convincing myself that things don’t matter.

I have often heard myself say out loud, “It’s just a thing.”

I heard myself repeating this mantra when my children were little and they accidentally broke something. And I repeated this mantra each time I had a memory of my childhood home and the things in it.

And then the teapot arrived and my heart opened and all of a sudden, my mother was there with me. What a gift.

Sometimes things do matter.

For families and friends exchanging things this holiday season – enjoy the little things as well as the big things. Embrace the giver. Embrace the laughter, the smiles and the tears within the gift. Those are things that can never be taken away or broken.

There is nothing wrong with things.

Sometimes things hold memories.

Sometimes things hold our hearts.

Revel in the exchange of things - knowing that the memories inside the things are timeless.

© Kathy Sturgis, Ph.D. Kathy is founder of Refreshment Zone and is an organizational and personal development specialist with a doctorate in communication. Contact kathy@refreshmentzone.com for more information on motivational programs.