Favorite Piece of Furniture

No one noticed as I watched Aviana play in the living room today. She laughed and chased Ginger round and round throwing her stuffed toys for a game of fetch. I had one eye on the two of them, and the other on mindless busy work and adult conversation. I am always tickled to watch her at play, but today she intrigued me. I stopped counting how many times she paused to look inside Nonni’s Curio cabinet. Each time was only for half of a minute at best. I could see that it was on her little mind. I wondered what she was pondering. I pondered whether she liked pondering like me. I suppose it may be pretty amazing to a 2 year old to see a piece of furniture so huge filled with shiny objects that glisten and turn color with every change of the suns movements. I saw her pause from the chair, from the floor on her knees, while standing still, and from across the room. I dont think she could keep her mind off of it. What was she thinking? Was it the mirror backing and she loved to see herself? Maybe the little animals fascinated her. A cherished family photograph?

Five adults chatting, eating and laughing, and the sixth one, being me, in my own little world watching history in the making. The heart of life is truly good.
Ginger was clearly her toy for the half hour or so of this playtime, but she was noticeably distracted every couple of minutes. When the kids packed up and went home to the valley, I sat down for a while in front of the curio to investigate further. I had told no one of Aviana’s ponderings and mine. Not even Walt. With coffee in hand, I sat to admire each piece of glass and its origin. I wondered what it was that kept catching her eyes. I thought if I knew I could pull it out and give it to her right away. I felt anxious to do just that. I soon changed my mind and decided that this watching through the years will be fun. I will move things around and really mess with her until she knows each piece herself. I will tell her stories of her great grandmother during WW2 and breadlines, and her Uncle Jake in today’s ongoing war. I’ll talk to her about the pieces from her mama to me, and how they came to be. We can discuss who the Nina ,the Pinta and the Santa Maria are.. and how her ancestors came from Italy to thrive in our wonderful country. How her Pappa gave me his heart, see it over there?...and how my friends know me so well and leave their mark for me here. She will see every pet her Nonni has loved, and whom I hope to see again one day. How wonderful it is knowing that she may love these silly material things as I do.. I think it so funny how the things we wished for our children, are so different from the ponderings we have for grandchildren. It very well could be my own mortality in the foreground now... not sure. I hope I never lose the memory of today. I hope there are many more like this to ponder too.

PS: TY Heather for this cherished portrait:)