Monday, July 26, 2021

#MicroblogMonday: Legacy

Six (!) years ago, I wrote about my decision to hand over my treasured vintage (early 1980s) Zenith stereo (turntable/cassette player and radio/tuner, all in one) and vinyl album collection (about 180 classic rock LPs) to Older Nephew (who was paying ridiculous sums of money for used copies of some of the same albums that were gathering dust in my basement...!). The stereo and some of the albums were kept in his bedroom, pre-wedding, and in the basement suite at BIL's since he got married. 

This past weekend, he, his wife and Little Great-Nephew (and the dog, lol) finally moved into the house they bought this spring. (They took possession in June, but have been painting and doing a few renovations since then.) BIL was on vacation last week, and he & dh made several trips up to the house to bring some things over in advance of moving day, make some last-minute fixes, etc.  

Dh took some photos on one of these expeditions so that I could see what they'd done with the place. Among other things, Older Nephew's MIL's carpenter boyfriend built them a beautiful shelving unit all along one wall of their family room. Guess what holds the centre spot of honour?  That's right, my stereo & vinyl collection (the ones I gave Older Nephew as well as ones he's bought on his own). He's bought new, more modern (smaller! lol) speakers, but otherwise, it's all just as I gave it to him. 

Sometimes, those of us without children wonder about what kind of a legacy we can leave, and to whom -- whether and how we and the things that mattered to us will live on somehow, after we're gone... whether they will matter to someone else.  I took one look at that photo and my heart just swelled. I thought, "There's my legacy (or at least part of it), right there!"  

Not only that -- dh told me he checked out what was on the turntable -- and practically burst HIS buttons when he saw it was Bruce Springsteen's "The River," lol.  :)  (Our work here is done, lol.)   

(I was going to include the photo, but when I asked dh to send it to me, he told me he'd already deleted it. (!!)  Sigh...)  

You can find more of this week's #MicroblogMondays posts here

5 comments:

  1. This is so beautiful! I love the idea of your legacy sitting in Older Nephew's house, in a place of honor, where it will be used and enjoyed. That is definitely such a hopeful thing for the future! Can you get another copy of the photo from Older Nephew himself? So worth having for that warm fuzzy feeling. (and "our work here is done," hahahaha!)

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  2. Now THIS is a legacy!! <3 <3 <3

    Thank you for sharing/writing this post. It really makes me happy. Maybe my nephew will want some of my important things...

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  3. That's nice! And next time I play The River I'll think of you - I have a vintage copy of it and it reminds me of my mum

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  4. My kid tried to abscond with my albums to hang on her wall. That was a big no. She can have the vinyl if she wants to listen to it (but we'll have to buy a turntable, because I doubt the 1950s era one that I have would actually work). Otherwise, I'll be selling that stuff on ebay!

    How nice that your nephew appreciates something that you like. My nephews and I mostly enjoy needling my sister together. :)

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  5. That's really lovely! I'm so glad. I know you've left a legacy with your nephews even without this, but how nice to see something you gave them taking pride of place in their new house!

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