Commentary
In the midst of all this incredible political and economic chaos, I was tasked with packing up my mother’s things to prepare for her move to assisted living. It’s a gravely emotional experience for anyone, as I’m sure you know.
I adore that woman, and going through her house offered ten thousand reminders. The house held 100 years or more of family history. All this stuff takes up space. With everyone on the move, it’s hard to find a good home for things anymore. My brother and I had to make some hard choices.
Along the way, I opened a small safe and found a lockbox, and opened it. It was my father’s collection of coins. What was in there hadn’t been seen by anyone for perhaps 25 years (he died rather young). It was startling and amazing to see. It was like finding buried treasure. There were coins from all over the world, gold, and silver. I’m not sure that I knew that he was a collector….