Blemishes

My husband and I are in the process of repainting and rewallpapering our 33 year old house. It is exciting to give our home a facelift, to brighten the faded and tired looking paint in the rooms. On our way into town, to get more paint in a variety of bright colours, we laughed at some of the quirks of our old Buick cars. One is 20 years old, the one we were driving, and the only way to roll down the windows is to shift the car into park, also, the heater switch is stuck, so it is not a good car to drive in summer, and it has a funky musty odour since a water leak was fixed on the floor of the backseats. Other than that, a dynamite engine in a bright red coloured car with an intact body. Michael laughed out loud with me, and he observed how old things have a charm because of their quirks. It means they have a story to tell, that they have been around for a while. He added, " kind of like people when they get older. The blemishes on them too, tell a story. " I liked the way he thought of it, and it made my irritation at the red car's quirks less sharp. I thought how our culture now idolizes physical perfection, physical youth. Certainly not moral perfection from what I can observe. The idea of attributing dignity and purpose to blemishes as we age, has a wisdom and kindness to it that is tinged with nostalgia and old fashioned qualities like tolerance, acceptance, and the realization that life is temporary, no matter how many facelifts a person gets. Renovating our home feels good, I especially am happy about replacing our old walnut kitchen cabinets that were put in in 1984, and getting instead cedar cabinets and a granite countertop to replace the old bright blue vinyl one. Updating is fun, there is no denying that, but it is also good to be tolerant of old things and the service they have provided for so long before we discard them. Perhaps that is why second hand stores and vintage stores stay popular. There is a certain amount of charm to things that have stood the test of time, even if that means they are old and as a result a bit dented, dusty and faded. Just like the rest of us. And just like the old stuff at the local vintage shops, all we need more often than not, is some polish and fresh colour, and the best shade that comes in is kindness and love. That is why I always donate my old stuff, whether it is household items, or clothes. I always wash my old stuff before I donate it, and fold it neatly and bag it and label it. It was useful to me, and in good condition, clean and ready to use, it can mean something to someone else who might have need of it. Blemishes have a story to tell, in us, and in our stuff. Treat both of them kindly, with a warm and big heart. They will treat you kindly in return, with lessons in generosity and humility. It is the nature of life on this planet that things get older, and fade with time. To accept that sets the heart and soul free. So be gentle with yourself as you get older, be gentle with your partners in life , in family, and be gentle with the stuff you let go of, both physically and emotionally. It will brighten the light in your eyes.