The Hall Tree
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| Would that this old hall tree could talk. |
Today we cleaned
up and found a spot to display an antique hall tree well over a hundred years
old. We made a trip to Mom's house and brought back several items that had been
treasures to my folks and some were treasures of their folks as well. Some of
the items probably have monetary value of some sort. Some are only treasures of
the heart.
We worked about half the day on the old hall tree trying to clean the dust of years past from its nooks and crannies. Although clean the old hall tree still displays the scars of its past, but still stands with a certain air of majesty. After finishing the superficial cleansing, I stepped back to inspect the finished product. What happened to me then was very un-Terry-like.
I stared into the mirror for the first time with thought. As I peered into the aged, stained glass at my face, I suddenly realized I was in the presence of more than an old piece of furniture. My normally simple mind began to swirl with thoughts and questions. How many others had looked at the reflection of their face in that mirror? What were their thoughts at that moment? What emotion was being reflected as they stood before the mirrored hall tree?
I could see my great grandma checking her hat to make sure it sat just right before walking out the door on the way to church. I could see Papa Dan staring into the mirror as he hung his hat on the peg possibly trying to figure how to tell Mama May Delle that he was going fox hunting with Jesse Marlin. I saw Pop looking into the mirror adjusting his uniform before telling Mom good-bye as he prepared to go overseas. I saw Mom looking into the mirror with a smile as she paused for only a moment before she continued the chores necessary when raising five boys.
The people that passed before that old hall tree were an important part of my being who I am today. I hope to preserve it for those that follow in hopes that they too will look into its reflective window and have fond thoughts of those of us who have stood before it and saw more than just our own reflection.
We worked about half the day on the old hall tree trying to clean the dust of years past from its nooks and crannies. Although clean the old hall tree still displays the scars of its past, but still stands with a certain air of majesty. After finishing the superficial cleansing, I stepped back to inspect the finished product. What happened to me then was very un-Terry-like.
I stared into the mirror for the first time with thought. As I peered into the aged, stained glass at my face, I suddenly realized I was in the presence of more than an old piece of furniture. My normally simple mind began to swirl with thoughts and questions. How many others had looked at the reflection of their face in that mirror? What were their thoughts at that moment? What emotion was being reflected as they stood before the mirrored hall tree?
I could see my great grandma checking her hat to make sure it sat just right before walking out the door on the way to church. I could see Papa Dan staring into the mirror as he hung his hat on the peg possibly trying to figure how to tell Mama May Delle that he was going fox hunting with Jesse Marlin. I saw Pop looking into the mirror adjusting his uniform before telling Mom good-bye as he prepared to go overseas. I saw Mom looking into the mirror with a smile as she paused for only a moment before she continued the chores necessary when raising five boys.
The people that passed before that old hall tree were an important part of my being who I am today. I hope to preserve it for those that follow in hopes that they too will look into its reflective window and have fond thoughts of those of us who have stood before it and saw more than just our own reflection.
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