Use It or Lose It

Stuff.

My Grandma used her stuff. Her nice dishes, crappy dishes, heirloom thingies, left over grocery bags, whatever it was, she used it. And if she didn’t have a use for it, she’d say, “Hey, I have something for you.” And then it was your job to use it.

I was retold all this over the holidays when my Aunt Maxine told me to pick out some of Grandma’s old dishes. “I don’t need all this and I want to get rid of some clutter.” I guess we know her New Years Resolution.

I picked up a pretty, yet oddly shaped dish, and asked, “I wonder what Grandma used this for?”

“Oh who knows,” my dad said, “but I’ll tell you one thing. It was definitely used.” It was glass and sparkling and pretty and I imagined she might have put candy in it during the holidays. Or maybe buttons…