As time goes on , the era of heirlooms obsolete ?

Times are changing.


The computer, iphone, and whatever else everyone is carrying around these days has changed our society.

I am not talking doomsday like an old timer, I actually feel as though my computer is part of me, and I would not want to be without it.

Although I have embraced the computer age , I have also witness changes in attitude as far as family processions of estate. Otherwise, when the matriarch of a family passes on to the great beyond , families usually gather to sort through the items to " clean the house " so it can be sold.

This is also a good change , believe it or not. I have witnessed many families , including my parents generation , struggle with who gets what and why. Many families have spilt over estates of loved ones, not being able to accept the fact that Uncle Joe's ring went to his cousin's son rather than someone closer in line to Uncle Joe.

It is a good change because the items that are worth saving will go to collectors. Collectors that understand what the item really is and how to care for it, so it can be passed to another collector someday.

I know there are some things that most families will still have a tug of war over, but, it's a wonderful thought to know that things in an estate, are being sold, instead of held onto till someone in the family generations later forgets the story behind the item, and even who really was the original owner of the item, and has the burden of storing the item till it eventually becomes part of their estate, and the cycle continues.

The lesson here is, enjoy an item for what it does for you. Enjoy a ring because you love the way it looks on your finger. Enjoy the painting because it makes your eyes happy. Enjoy the wedding dress, not because it has been passed down through the family to you , and you have no idea who wore it , but enjoy it for it's beauty...if anything you inherit is stored away because your family insists it be given to the next person in line, you need to decide if it is really worth it. Something stored away from one generation to the next is rather sad if it is a beautiful object. It should be cherished and enjoyed.

Thanks to the computer age, I think the most precious treasure one can leave future generations is a personal video.

WHAT ! A video ! Have I lost my mind ! No, in fact, I have finally realized what is the most precious gift one can give their future generations.

Johnny Carson will always be remembered because now his programs are on somewhere in T.V. land always.

Be a Johnny Carson. Have someone video tape you doing something you usually do in your normal routine, look up at the camera, give a wave...whatever is the real you. If you are a ham, don't over do it, after all, you are not going to get an Emmy for your video...but, you will be remembered.

From me to you,
life is short, live it well, and in the end, be sure you are never up for bids in an auction :-)