I had a dream last night. In my dream, I was in a plant room. There were several people there but I don't think I knew them. The lady whose plants they were was playing hostess, answering the various questions about the plants. As the visit was winding down, I found myself asking her questions like, "What's the most unusual way you've obtained a plant?" "Which plant surprises or surprised you the most?" "Which plant gives you the most pleasure?" "Which plant is the most meaningful?"The questions surprised her and as she started answering them, the plant room, all of a sudden, became more personal. She became more thoughtful and softer as she let the questions take her back to her encounter with each of the plants. She told me the plant she'd obtained in the most unusual way was a little ground plant. As she pointed out a little plant, close to the ground with pinkish, red leaves or blooms or whatever they were, she began to tell me the story of how she was in a cab one day and began to talk to the cab driver, as you do. They got on to plants and talked plants until they arrived at her destination. As she was getting out and paying him for her trip, he reached down into the floorboard, brought up this little plant and gave it to her. He didn't tell her anything about it or why he would have a plant in his cab but he said he wanted her to have it because he knew she would appreciate it.
I could tell that this gesture touched her deeply as her eyes began to moisten. She got hold of herself and continued with her story but I knew that when I asked her which plant was the most meaningful to her, this would be the one she would go back to.
For the rest of the tour through her room and the stories she told me in response to my various questions, she has a deep, satisfied expression on her face. The gift the cabbie gave her that day was working its magic all over again. From that point, too, she was more animated about the history of the various plants, giving the proper and common names for each. (I should tell you that I know nothing about plants and have no idea what names she used - it was probably one of those dream things where I heard whaaa, whaaa, whaa but knew that's what she was telling me.)
I actually remembered the dream when I woke up, although it's fading now, but what I took from it was this. Whatever your passion is, whether it be yarn or fiber, spinning wheels or looms, coins or angels or books, salt and pepper shakers or music or figurines, whatever that thing you have gathered around you, go and pull it out or look around your display cases or pull out your displays, and remember why you started collecting. Really look at it again and remember where you got some of the items. Do they remind you of a wonderful vacation or a dear friend or loved one who gave it to you to feed your passion? Did you just love the colors or the feel of it? Let it give you again, that feeling your first had when you saw it. Was it excitement or satisfaction or humor or love or being loved? Appreciate it all over again.
And if it doesn't give you that same thrill, why not pass it on to someone else and start over with something that you do feel passionate about now, right now, in your life. In the immortal words of Rob Thomas, "No one said we have to keep the things we get." Don't let sentiment hold you back. Keep your fresh passion fresh abd let someone else appreciate the things that once thrilled you.
