Best compliment ever from one of my brothers
I am an only girl out of 6 kids. I admit to being both a spoiled princess and a kick ass tom boy who screams at football games on the television. I am okay with it. I am well loved and who can complain about that? They are all getting a kick out of seeing their little sister melt away. And they are feeling all manly about getting to do something they didnt really ever have a chance to do when I was a kid...chase away the boys! lol. They are hugely supportive of my healthy life. More than that, they love me no matter how I look. I am so lucky and I wanted to share something that happened last night. It brought tears to my eyes. I hope it makes you smile as well.
I needed a hobby that was stress relieving. Something that I could include the kids in and something that took us out of the house. Sure we bike and play and exercise together, but I needed something I could lose myself in. I found this old desk out by the curb with a free sign on it. It was UGLY upon first inspection. But the desk I had in my home that I filled out the bills at had split down the middle and was barely hanging on. We were broke and free was in our price range. I checked it out and structurally, it was solid as a rock. Drawers moved well, seems strong. So i loaded it up and took it home. I sanded on that thing by hand for HOURS getting the awfull brown (crap brown) paint off. Underneath was beautiful. I began taking a second look at the piece. Suddenly, I actually saw it. What it could be, what it was, what it will be with a little love. I went to work with anewed interest. I ended up painting the piece. It was beautiful. It sits in my office to this day. From that first project, I was hooked. I loved the hunt. I loved bargaining at sales, auctions, garage sales, and getting things for free from garages or barns. I learned about staining and varnish. I learned about orbital sanders (but i still do most by hand because my arms are looking HAWT people.) I looked up info and tried different daring things that I would not have tried because I could. I didnt have much invested. And I wanted the piece to show me what it was, not become some gaudy thing it wasnt. THe kids love helping and I dont worry about all life throws at me when I am working on a piece.
The other day, a friend called and said, I have an old make up table in my garage. It has been sitting there 10 years and it is covered in bird crap and dust. Every time I look at it, I feel sad because it was my grandmothers and I let it go to hell. IF you can do something with it, you can have it. Otherwise, it is firewood. Well, I drove over and took a look. I fell in love! It WAS covered in bird crap, layers of dust and dirt, years of neglect had marred it's beauty. But all i could see is what it could be again. What it was always meant to be, beautiful and useful and mostly loved by someone. I called my brother right away.
My brother Rob is a very quiet gentle man. He is very good at letting me figure out my own mistakes and not rushing in with the life jacket to save me. I love him so much for having faith in my ability to reason and live my own life. He showed up and helped me load it. In his quiet way, I knew he thought i was crazy. So I asked him, "Think I am nuts dont you." He said, "Sis, I dont get it. It is junk. Why do you want it." I said, "Look closer, dont you see it?" He took another good long look and shook his head no. He laughed and said, "Still nuts." He drove it home and I followed. We unloaded it and I took it right into the house last night. I spent two hours cleaning it and then used a wood oil on it. My brother came around the corner and stopped in the middle of his sentence. I was covered in bird crap, dust, dirt and mud, sitting in the middle of a plastic tarp with my now clean and shiny make up table. He just stared. I said, "What!" thinking he was going to give me hell about getting her again. He said, "Sis, you have dirt all over your face, your pony tail is coming out, and you have this happy sappy spacy look on your face. You have never looked lovelier and your ex is a fool to have let you go." I sat there stunned. He is a man of few words and not very many of them drip with affection. He had never said anything like that to me before. I was touched. I started to say something about the weight loss and he stopped me. He said, "It's not the damn weight loss. I am proud of that but it isnt why you are beautiful. You treated that piece like you treat people. You see what's there despite the outward shell. I am ashamed to admit that like that piece, I walk by people and dont even notice them. You always see people. You always see what could be. I am proud of you for who you are." He turned on his heel and left me sit there in the bird crap and mud, tears in my eyes.
Now I would like to think I am the person he sees. I dont know if I am or not. I do think that I was like one of my pieces. Dinged and marred and hiding under layers of yuck. I thought it was removing the weight that shined me up and brought me out. Heck maybe that wasnt it at all, but just discovering what i could be and what i was. Maybe a little love of self was all I needed. At any rate, I feel like I shine. Just like the furniture I rescue.
I needed a hobby that was stress relieving. Something that I could include the kids in and something that took us out of the house. Sure we bike and play and exercise together, but I needed something I could lose myself in. I found this old desk out by the curb with a free sign on it. It was UGLY upon first inspection. But the desk I had in my home that I filled out the bills at had split down the middle and was barely hanging on. We were broke and free was in our price range. I checked it out and structurally, it was solid as a rock. Drawers moved well, seems strong. So i loaded it up and took it home. I sanded on that thing by hand for HOURS getting the awfull brown (crap brown) paint off. Underneath was beautiful. I began taking a second look at the piece. Suddenly, I actually saw it. What it could be, what it was, what it will be with a little love. I went to work with anewed interest. I ended up painting the piece. It was beautiful. It sits in my office to this day. From that first project, I was hooked. I loved the hunt. I loved bargaining at sales, auctions, garage sales, and getting things for free from garages or barns. I learned about staining and varnish. I learned about orbital sanders (but i still do most by hand because my arms are looking HAWT people.) I looked up info and tried different daring things that I would not have tried because I could. I didnt have much invested. And I wanted the piece to show me what it was, not become some gaudy thing it wasnt. THe kids love helping and I dont worry about all life throws at me when I am working on a piece.
The other day, a friend called and said, I have an old make up table in my garage. It has been sitting there 10 years and it is covered in bird crap and dust. Every time I look at it, I feel sad because it was my grandmothers and I let it go to hell. IF you can do something with it, you can have it. Otherwise, it is firewood. Well, I drove over and took a look. I fell in love! It WAS covered in bird crap, layers of dust and dirt, years of neglect had marred it's beauty. But all i could see is what it could be again. What it was always meant to be, beautiful and useful and mostly loved by someone. I called my brother right away.
My brother Rob is a very quiet gentle man. He is very good at letting me figure out my own mistakes and not rushing in with the life jacket to save me. I love him so much for having faith in my ability to reason and live my own life. He showed up and helped me load it. In his quiet way, I knew he thought i was crazy. So I asked him, "Think I am nuts dont you." He said, "Sis, I dont get it. It is junk. Why do you want it." I said, "Look closer, dont you see it?" He took another good long look and shook his head no. He laughed and said, "Still nuts." He drove it home and I followed. We unloaded it and I took it right into the house last night. I spent two hours cleaning it and then used a wood oil on it. My brother came around the corner and stopped in the middle of his sentence. I was covered in bird crap, dust, dirt and mud, sitting in the middle of a plastic tarp with my now clean and shiny make up table. He just stared. I said, "What!" thinking he was going to give me hell about getting her again. He said, "Sis, you have dirt all over your face, your pony tail is coming out, and you have this happy sappy spacy look on your face. You have never looked lovelier and your ex is a fool to have let you go." I sat there stunned. He is a man of few words and not very many of them drip with affection. He had never said anything like that to me before. I was touched. I started to say something about the weight loss and he stopped me. He said, "It's not the damn weight loss. I am proud of that but it isnt why you are beautiful. You treated that piece like you treat people. You see what's there despite the outward shell. I am ashamed to admit that like that piece, I walk by people and dont even notice them. You always see people. You always see what could be. I am proud of you for who you are." He turned on his heel and left me sit there in the bird crap and mud, tears in my eyes.
Now I would like to think I am the person he sees. I dont know if I am or not. I do think that I was like one of my pieces. Dinged and marred and hiding under layers of yuck. I thought it was removing the weight that shined me up and brought me out. Heck maybe that wasnt it at all, but just discovering what i could be and what i was. Maybe a little love of self was all I needed. At any rate, I feel like I shine. Just like the furniture I rescue.
That is so sweet !!!! I LOVE your brother !!! My brother was killed when I was 13 and he was 22 , I often wonder what he would be like now , I miss him so , even after 44 years!!
I used to be a "junker" hence my name , it used to make me come alive and my husband and I enjoyed the hunt and I loved painting
Keep on doing what you love and hold your family close , you are very blessed.
I NEED to find something in my life that I love to do again, junquing is to hard at my age and psychical abilities, my kids are grown and gone and hubby works, and I am so lonely...sounds pathetic ( I am ), but that is the life I have right now, but change needs to happen.
I am so glad you can see what "lays beyond" and what things could be,
Keep up the good work and hug your brother for me !!!!!!
P.S. thanks for a good cry , I needed it
I used to be a "junker" hence my name , it used to make me come alive and my husband and I enjoyed the hunt and I loved painting
Keep on doing what you love and hold your family close , you are very blessed.
I NEED to find something in my life that I love to do again, junquing is to hard at my age and psychical abilities, my kids are grown and gone and hubby works, and I am so lonely...sounds pathetic ( I am ), but that is the life I have right now, but change needs to happen.
I am so glad you can see what "lays beyond" and what things could be,
Keep up the good work and hug your brother for me !!!!!!
P.S. thanks for a good cry , I needed it
Donna Q. --5'8" -60 years old
Band 2005
hw320 sw276 lw with band 195 gw 160-180?
Bypass 4/4/2012
pre sw 258 lw RNY 162 cw 203
That WAS sweet! I only have one brother, but wow, they can sometimes say just the right things at just the right times, can't they?
On a related note, the best piece of advice I ever recieved was from a close male friend and coworker at my very first job. He was 10 years older than me and kind of made getting me through my teenage years his personal project. One day we were sitting at work talking about who know what when he says "When someone compliments you, you don't have to believe that you really possess that quality. But try to believe that that person really sees you that way."
You ARE the person your brother sees.
On a related note, the best piece of advice I ever recieved was from a close male friend and coworker at my very first job. He was 10 years older than me and kind of made getting me through my teenage years his personal project. One day we were sitting at work talking about who know what when he says "When someone compliments you, you don't have to believe that you really possess that quality. But try to believe that that person really sees you that way."
You ARE the person your brother sees.
Bren 
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