Age should not have its face lifted, but it should rather teach the world to admire wrinkles as the etchings of experience and the firm line of character. — Ralph B. Perry
Sometimes the most beautiful pieces of furniture are the ones that show their age. Call them antiques, call them vintage. You can see many different layers of paint, the different colors begin to show through and there are bare spots where people have rubbed against them over and over and over. This is called patina. Patina can happen naturally over time or can be artificially imposed on a piece. Either way it’s beautiful but mostly in the eye of the beholder who appreciates it.
I am lucky enough to do my work at what was once my grandmother’s kitchen table. It now resides in my office and I love every inch of it. It hasn’t been painted in years and the rubbings and chips are what give it patina. When I pull out the hidden cutting board I can get an idea of what her kitchen must have looked like by the remnants of color.
Humans too have patina. Theirs are the wrinkles, the thinning hair and silver highlights. These are the layers of human patina. There isn’t a person in the world that sets out to artificially impose this patina on themselves, rather they seem to do anything they can to prevent this natural appearance. This is legacy’s roadmap etched by laughter and tears, prosperity and hardship and well…life. Your story will show up as your own personal patina. I hope you will learn to embrace it and find it beautiful.
The Velveteen Rabbit said it best: Still Beautiful – “Generally, by the time you are Real, most of your hair has been loved off, and your eyes don’t see as well and you get loose in the joints and very shabby. “But these things don’t matter at all, because once you are Real you can’t be ugly, except to people who don’t understand”
Today I had the privilege of spending the day with my dear friend’s family making ravioli and getting a glimpse into their lives. They welcomed me into their home with my camera and my curiosity and I am enormously grateful. I hope to post their story shortly but for now, know that the board for making the ravioli has seen hundreds, if not thousands, of them and the ravioli maker is one of the loveliest women I’ve ever met. Both are beautiful evidenced that patina of the most genuine nature is stunning and will leave its story on your heart. It’s Real.