There are most certainly some things in our lives that are simply priceless. They, perhaps, represent the very thread that binds us to our childhoods and/or our families. So when Upworthy took to Facebook to ask, “What’s something you own that you’d never sell, no matter the price?” it wasn’t surprising that it yielded close to 2,000 beautiful replies.
Commenters described antiques they would never let go of, such as the follower who shared about their “grandparents‘ 1936 Wards Airline radio.” Many felt connected to homemade family items. One woman answered, “the jade my father gave me at 13.” Another relayed a similar sentiment, stating that the items she’d never part with were “the things my mom made.”
Only 6 months old
But a Facebook user named Selby C. Hemmans Rich stood out. It wasn’t just the item that was special in and of itself. It was the reason it appeared in her family’s life in the first place and stayed for generations.
Rich shared, “My piano…my grandmother bought it for me when I was 6 months old. When I was born, she took one look at my hands and said, ‘Oh, she has long fingers! She’s going to play.’ I do.”
This has carried on to her children. Rich continued, “So do my son and one of my two daughters. They majored in music and now do very well nationally and internationally. Actually, before I was old enough to take lessons, my grandmother learned to play well enough to provide music for elementary school graduations and school plays. (We are a family of educators.)”
When asked if she and her kids or parents ever play music together as a family, Rich shared, “As for the kids,…Nah! But, when I’m around them, I enjoy them all. My son is a jazz man. My daughter and her husband are Christian artists. Their proficiency far exceeds mine. As for me, I made it to intermediate studies in piano…a little Chopin, Mendelssohn, Beethoven. But, I’m primarily a church musician (CCM and gospel).”
Feeling the joy
“My grandmother loved to hear me play. I thought it was so cool when I was able to play hymns! I could see and FEEL her joy and satisfaction,” Rich continued. “When my daughter was about 7-8, she asked if she could have my piano when I die!!!! Of course, I gladly said, ‘Yes!’ I had it completely restored a couple of years ago. It cost more than a new one, but it was worth it.”
Family treasure
A woman named Janet Schen commented on Rich’s post with her own piano story. “I also have a piano that I would never sell. It belonged to my grandmother, who got married in about 1920, and it was my grandfather’s wedding gift to her. I’ve had it since 1981, and it sits in my living room but never gets played since I don’t know how. I want to take it to my granddaughter in Minnesota, who plays piano, because it’s too expensive to ship.”
Rich agrees. “Yes, Janet. A family treasure like that has to be loved.”
