Letting Go

So, a young gal I know is going through a hard time and a break-up. I gave her some advice a girlfriend gave me a long time ago: try to figure out, are you sad over the relationship you lost or over losing what you hoped that relationship would be. If you find after thinking about it that you're more sad over losing what you hoped it would be, then it was never what you really wanted and most likely could never be.

Today I sold a my beloved Burke Tulip table set. Gosh I loved that thing. Mitch and I bought it at a yard sale 5 or 6 years ago. We both fell in love with it immediately. I've always been a huge fan of Mid Century Modern furniture and he just thought it was so cool. We stood there debating the purchase trying to figure out where we could put it. We finally decided we could put it on the porch and had ourselves just about convinced it would be 'the perfect porch set'. We stood there imagining the family meals we would eat at it, reading the Sunday paper while drinking our coffee and watching the river flow by and of course, decided to buy it.

Well, it's important now to point out, our house was built in 1840. It is a historic farmhouse very much in typical upstate New York rural farmhouse style. Tall, steep roof, few details or adornment, wood siding, tall windows and painted white with green shutters.

As it turns out, a Mid Century Modern table set which was so space-like when it was originally designed and produced, that it appeared in Star Trek episodes, is not exactly a match made in heaven for a rural farmhouse. For several years we went on arranging our primitive shipping barrels, antique tools and skis around our space-age stark white table set trying so hard to make it work. We both took our turns defending the reasons we should keep it. Mitch felt it was so comfortable. I just loved it when people came to the house and gasped, "Oh my gosh, I LOVE your table set!"

Once I decided to sell antiques and vintage items, we decided it was time to let it go. Since deciding to sell it, I've taken it to a few road shows and have had it in the store space since December. I priced it fairly - not high, not low and have been offered considerably less than my asking price many times and each time I have refused the offers. Each time it didn't sell, I was sad I had to load it back up, but happy it didn't go.

Today it sold with just a 10% discount off the price I've been asking all along. I'm happy it sold, I'm happy I didn't have to drop the price considerably (which I never would have anyway) and I'm happy I never have to move it again. But, as it turns out, I feel so sad the set is gone.

All the typical break-up feelings are running through my head. Oh, it was so sexy! We gave up one of the few remaining Burke Tulip table sets and if we ever want one again, we may never find one again. Gosh, I wish we just tried harder to make it work.

But I have to remind myself of that advice about break-ups. Am I sad about the loss of the table set or of what I hoped it could be? I guess it's time to find that porch set that really is what I've always wanted.