Rose China

Many different things have been flying through my head today: family values, abortion, politics, medical care, organized religion, obligation, responsibility, aging, friendship, horror movies, Halloween, how to find friends, how to figure out what someone's passions are, money, class divisions, writing, books, generosity, examination, ignorance, strength, beauty, ugliness, female vs. male, walking around woods in crisp autumn air and a few other things. This is not an unusual day. There is a lot to think about and I often wonder how I can ever be bored....

I also thought of the women of my family before me. This Saturday I was unpacking my great grandmother's and great great grandmother's china, many pieces I have never seen before as they have been packed up for nearly 3 decades. I thought about the legacy of having something from ancestors I have never met, much like genes I have inherited from them. What did they think about when they washed the dishes that I will no doubt wash? Who ate at their table when they used those dishes? How did this cup get chipped or that plate? What did they eat? Did they ever wonder about who would eat on the china when they were gone? Did perhaps they think of my mom--the only girl of her generation?

The colors of the dishes and even the roses found on each set meld together and also somehow remind me of my mom. My mom's favorite flower is the rose and her favorite color is blue, first and foremost, but I think pink is her second--both of those colors are in the china. Did that china leave an undeniable mark on my mom's preferences? How much of who I am is because of those before me?