Thursday, January 16, 2025
Seems like almost everyone collects something of some sort or another. My wife has a giant container full of old matchbooks she has been collecting for years, though since smoking has declined in popularity, it is harder and harder to find new additions. The matchbooks pretty much stay stored in the closet, but her collection of seashells is proudly displayed on the wall of our master bathroom. Her departed father helped her find most of the seashells, so I do understand why they are important to her.
My mother collected a type of antique glassware called Flow Blue. There is no telling how many dollars or how many miles she traveled seeking pieces to add to her treasure trove. It was a passion for her. Funny, she was notoriously tight-fisted, but, when it came to Flow Blue, her pocketbook opened somewhat magically.
My Uncle John collected coins. My brother-in-law, Steve, collects Springfield rifles. Uncle Rich collected metal replicas of tractors. My Miss Jayne collected souvenir shot glasses. My colleague, Paul Hyde, collects Star Wars memorabilia. Others collect items as varied as old dental equipment, antique cookie cutters, gas station memorabilia, or stuffed animals.
It wasn’t until I began researching in anticipation of writing this column that I learned there are people collecting some mighty strange stuff. One hospital I ran across has a collection of unusual items which have been removed from patients’ throats and lungs. That collection includes dried beans, buttons, wooden matches, marbles, tiny toys, and a host of other miscellaneous items.
I found another person who collects used concert ticket stubs. That music lover has the ticket stub for every concert he has ever attended in his 71 years of life and now his collection tallies over 3,339 stubs. Anyone who went to that many concerts is certainly a genuine music aficionado! His collection is without a doubt a survey of how that collector spent his life.
When I was young, I collected baseball cards. I spent every nickel I could come across to buy baseball cards to get my “checklist” filled. To acquire more cards without spending money, neighborhood boys would “flip” baseball cards. This was a game attempting to match team colors of the various players. The winner got to take the pile of cards that had been put into play. It was a quick way to expand a collection.
I kept my cards safely tucked into a couple of old Styrofoam ice chests. Somewhere along the line, my folks got tired of their storage space being consumed by what they called “a bunch of old, good for nothing baseball cards,” and the cards ended up in the trash. I wonder what the box would be worth today.
So, why do people collect? Psychologists believe humans utilize collectables to connect to their childhood and the good memories that reside in the past. Some want to gain knowledge and learn something new, yet others want the collection to be an investment that pays a dividend. I have never met a collector who did not seek that one item, overlooked by the rest of the world, that is worth tens of thousands of dollars. It is the thrill of the hunt; it is the ability to have something unique that other people are envious of.
As an adult, I do not believe I maintain any sort of collection, nor do I have any interest to start one. At this point, I have already collected a thousand memories, hundreds of disappointments, a couple of successes, and a few failures. I cherish them all and when I sit on my deck with drink in hand, watching as the sun goes down, my mind sometimes lingers on the memories and I realize living life is better than collecting it. And it takes up a whole lot less room in the house!
Thought for the day: Life consists not in holding good cards, but in playing well whatever cards you hold.
Until next time…I will keep ridin’ the storm out!
