Of Cups and Sundry Things

I often wonder if it is sentimentality that proves that humans are of a different order than animals. I know the correct answer is our soul, our walk with Christ, the image of God, etc..., but sentimentality is a powerful force in human nature that you just don't observe in the animal nature.

Silly as it may seem, glasses and coffee cups hold great sway over my emotions. Washing dishes this morning proved to be a long stroll down memory lane. My ties with coffee cups and glasses started when I was a child. First came the Noritake coffee mug with inlaid gold swans that I had bought with my birthday money when I was 10. I wanted a cup to match my mother's gold plate that we had bought her for mother's day. Then came the little blue, yellow and magenta espresso cups that I had seen at the outlet mall in Lincoln City. It was a cold, wet, gray day at the Oregon Coast, and I fell in love with the colorful set. I could imagine making gourmet coffee in them for Talia and Sarah. My mother and sister convinced me not to buy them, and then surprised me with a set for Joshua's birthday when I was 15. Followed by the elliptical cups that Tanner and I thought were so cool. We put them on our wedding registry and then a week later, Mom-Howell excitedly disgorged them at my feet. They had gone on clearance. I can't forget the white espresso cups that Starbucks had for almost 6 months before they went on sale 75% off. They had a lovely little swirl around them, and matched perfectly with my china pattern. I had visions of elegant dinners followed by pots de creme and coffee. The last few cups were the demitasse cups that Gen and I coveted at Peets coffee just weeks before they for California. I could justify buying one, but not more than that. Gen was insistent that a set is a set, so I bought two and she bought two. They're still waiting for an official "espresso" party. Please don't stop drinking coffee anytime soon.

I've never seen a walrus spend so much time smiling over a seashell or a dog weeping over his food bowl. No, I think sentimentality is a human thing. It transforms us from brutes into lovers, cowards into parents and tormentors into friends.