Beauty is in the Eye of the Beholder or I Have a Pot to Piss In

In a previous life
the one I had
during my first marriage
and in the first few years
of the lives of my children
I owned and operated
an antique and craft shop
in the antique district of
Amarillo Texas
During that time
I started collecting
good antique pieces of furniture
mostly somewhat rustic
and I love a great Hoosier Cabinet
that is in original condition
not refurbished
or a new one made to look old

I have many stories
regarding the 4 years I had the store
including how my oldest son
who was born right after I started
the business
was the best salesman I had
at the age of 2,
when he was waiting on customers
when they came into the store
You see
I took him to work with me
every day.

Anyway, I learned
through this period in my life
that I appreciate
really interesting
and original pottery
hand thrown pottery
and I had a potter
who created great pieces
just for the shop

and occasionally
while at a craft show
I would pick up other pieces
of pottery
that caught my eye

A few years ago
many years after
I closed the shop

I found some great pottery
that is from Peru
done simply
in black and white

and the decor in my living room
was black and white
so I felt compelled
to purchase a few pieces

There were many pieces
each different
some were plates
some vases
some bowls
all designs reminded me
of my favorite Indian jewelry designs
bold, simple
elegant
Hopi Indian designs
of course
they aren't
they are from Peru
so I searched for just the right
pieces that were
great and good conversation
pieces
and would look great
in my living room
I found a plate
that at a distance
has a 3D effect,
I found a vase
that has wiggly lines
that look like fingers
holding it
and I found
one more
one that I thought was so cool
it was different
from all the rest
it was a vase
but the neck wasn't straight
it was bent,
and it had a wider base
with diagonal black and white lines
that reminded me
of feathers
or arrows
it was tall
and I thought it was just the
coolest piece I had ever bought

I don't still have the
living room I had
but have recently
put all my black and white
things up in this living room
as well
As I put out the pottery
I looked again
at my perfectly unique
One of a kind pottery pieces
and realized
that with it's crooked neck
and wide base
it looked like an ancient
Urinal
yes,
I now have a new outlook
on my wonderful piece of pottery
it reminds me of
a pot
you piss in

lol

so as I was cleaning house today
I dusted it
and thought of how it represents
our relationships with others

Just the other day
the muse had asked me
why I thought relationships end
and I think her post was called

What is the shelf life of a relationship

and I told her part of the reason
was that people stop working on them
and part of the fun of a relationship
with someone else is momentum

but the pottery is a great example

In the beginning
it is shiny and different
and you are drawn to it
for that very reason
You think it is unique
and unlike anything
you have known before
and you cherish it
and am proud that
you found it

and you show it off to others
and think they find it
as great as you do
and they are happy for you
and then life
takes it twists and turns
and things change
and move
and the part of your
house, or your life,
you thought your great find
would fit into perfectly
changes into another one
or you move forward
and life changes you
and then one day
you look up
and something has changed
and when you look
at your pottery
all you see
is a simple item
that when bedridden
comes in handy
but it doesn't hold
the same luster
or desire you once had
for it
and sometimes
you are even nervous
that someone else
is going to see it as you do
even though
you would like them to see it as
a very unusual
and interesting extension
of you.

I want to see that vase
as I did
the day I bought it
but even now
I keep thinking
that the art dealer
that sold it to me
was thankful
that some poor
ignorant woman
bought the one piece
they thought they would never sell
because it looked like a urinal
and after she left
they had a great laugh
at her expense
after she went on
and on about how
unusual it was.