Anyone who has moved, downsized, or tackled a vigorous spring-cleaning is well aware of how much stuff mysteriously makes its way into our cupboards, closets and garages over the years. We struggle over what to keep, what to jettison, and what to pass on to someone else in hopes they will treasure it as much as we did. Our things not only reveal a lot about us—what we value and treasure, but they also serve as emotional connections to past people and places. Whether they are ordinary or exquisite, objects are rich sources of stories. As British ceramicist and author Edmund de Waal says:
You take an object from your pocket and put it down in front of you and you start. You begin to tell a story. How objects are handed on is all about story-telling. I am giving you this because I love you. Or because it was given to me. Because I bought it somewhere special. Because you will care for it. Because it will complicate your life. Because it will make someone else envious . . . What is remembered and what is forgotten. —The Hare with Amber Eyes: A Family’s Century of Art and Loss
