This table drives me nuts...

This is the lobby in one of the nicer buildins in town.  It’s beautiful.  This table, however, drives me nuts.

Don’t get me wrong, the table is beautiful too.  I’m sure it’s very expensive and perhaps an antique that is really challenging to replace.  But every single time I walk into this lobby, which is several times monthly, it makes me laugh.

What is the point of a table if you are told not to use it?  And if you look, it’s not like there’s one sign calling you out.  There’s four of them, like two wouldn’t be enough.

I get it, it's more a piece of art than meant for practical use.  And like at my home, probably once a month someone is getting scolded for not putting their glass on a coaster in the family room.  “It’s important to take care of nice things!” 

The best things in life are meant to be really used and engaged with.  Beautiful cars are meant to be driven.  Beautiful homes are meant to be lived in.  Beautiful food is meant to be eaten.  Beautiful clothes are meant to be worn.  And beautiful tables are meant to be used.

If we’re living the other way, we’re not really living.  We have all of this beautiful stuff in our lives that we just look at and protect?  So what, the stuff we actually use is not beautiful?  Then what’s the point?  Without us knowing it we are prioritizing things, and life isn’t things.

Some day we will all be six feet under. I say we spend our time really living and engaging with what we decide to put into our lives.  I guess the reason this table annoys me is it reminds me of how often we are reminded, in very soft, hidden ways, to do the opposite.

I’ll say this, if someone buys the most beautiful suit or shirt or jeans from me, by golly, they better plan on wearing the heck out of them!  That’s the whole point!  If you’re looking for your closet to be more of a museum or gallery of beautiful artifcats, I’ll be the first to admit, I’m not your guy.