It is all about what you see ......

A few weeks ago, as I was driving to work, I saw an old wicker loveseat, set by the road, alone, patiently waiting for the trash man. Its age was apparent by the traces of black paint on the otherwise bare and faded wicker. The seat was tattered near the middle .. a spot that had clearly been someone's favorite resting place ... or worn thin by a cat's daily afternoon naps. The weariness of the piece conjured up numerous vignettes in my mind, each with a story. I longed for a place to put the loveseat so I could rescue it from its evident fate... but I had no such place. Reluctantly, I continued my drive to work ... while my mind persisted to linger with "my" treasure by the side of the road.

The next day, as always, I met my two friends for our early morning dog walk. The younger of the two gleefully started the conversation by telling us of an old wicker loveseat she had found sitting by the side of the road. She had driven by it three times the previous day, and decided if it was still there after she ran her errands, she was going to take it home. It was .. and she did. I then shared my encounter with it.

We both smiled. Me, because the wicker loveseat that had tugged at my heart as I drove by, now had a good home. My friend, because she knew there was no need to explain why a faded, tattered wicker loveseat, devoid of its original function, was now nestled and "protected" on her front porch.