(Original post January 2023)
It's just an ordinary plate from a Mexican shop in Ensenada. Probably didn’t even cost $20.
I bought it on a cruise we took with some friends several years ago. As I got it out after putting Christmas away, I realized how much I loved it.
The day we bought it, I’d laid the bag it was in on the top of my open suitcase when we returned to the ship, hoping to insulate it with clothing before packing it.
I don’t remember the heavy item Dale was carrying, but he tossed it on top, and we both heard the smashing ceramic pieces at the same time.
Then we both did something extraordinary, given the years of imperfect practicing that has been our marriage.
He instantly said he would try to fix it. Was it even worth it, given the fact it was not worth a lot to begin with?
Before it was even out of his mouth, I had already made the decision to not be angry or cross. I felt deep disappointment, but my first instinct was that he was more important than a souvenir.
If you look closely, you can see all the places where Dale painstakingly glued this not-worth-very-much souvenir back together. Across the room? It looks absolutely lovely doesn’t it? Up close? You can see the evidence of the scars.
It’s the most beautiful metaphor for our marriage - and reminder of how much we’re growing together - that I own.
So. Basically, it’s priceless.
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