My Grandmother's Teapot
My Grandmother's Teapot, originally uploaded by lavocado@sbcglobal.net.
My grandmothers fancy little tea set (pot, creamer and sugar bowl) sat on a fancy little shelf in my dining room for several years. Then, for reasons unknown, the shelf fell down. The teapot and the creamer broke. Only the sugar bowl remained in one piece.
While I was growing up, the tea set was kept on a high cupboard shelf, way above the our everyday dishes. My grandmother lived in a tiny apartment, and many of the things she brought from her family home were stored at our house. Every once in a while, I would get up on the step stool, take down some of her china, and perform a ritual washing. I loved the contrast between her things and the stark simple taste my mother had.
After my father died, the tea set and its companions became mine. I spent a lot of time figuring out how to display them in my already cluttered little house. I bought a curio display shelf thing--I don't remember how the catalog described it--and carefully arranged my treasures. Then I allowed them to collect dust. Perhaps it was the weight of dust that collapsed the shelf. The weight of guilt collapsed on me. I am a poor curator.
I have used the broken pieces in this steppingstone. I am pleased with the result, though not entirely relieved of guilt.