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Years ago my sister and brother in law were putting dishes away. My Brother in law dropped a creamer and it broke. I told him that was grandma's. She got it from her mom. That it was the only thing my mother had from her. He felt terrible. My mom walked into the kitchen and my brother in law is holding the pieces looking as sad as could be. My mom said "throw it away. I won that at a card party." He was so mad at me but I still laugh when I think about it.
You may have to be more selective about the people you invite as guests into your home, and/or not share so much of yourself. As someone else suggested, make sure delicate things are out of potential harm's way, and limit access to children or careless adults.
It's a mixed bag. I myself make sure there is nothing I would value more than a human being. Humor me as I tell a story of a two year old who took all the flowers in my garden & brought them to her mother as a gift. The mother was horrified & came to me apologzing profusly. I told her not to allow it to harm her daughter. The flowers would bloom the next year but her daughter would be two only once & I didn't want her afraid to touch the flowers. Three years later that little one brought her little friends to 'her' garden to show them 'her' beans, which we'd planted together. The flowers were not touched.
On the other hand, my sister also has Waterford Crystal & I am terrified to even touch it as I know it's cost. My stemware comes from the dollar store because I know me,lol.
Pretty things break and ugly things break, they are just things. Actually, using the sunglasses rule, only pretty and expensive things break or are lost- cheap ones seem to last forever and you can't get rid of them lol.
I cannot count the number of wine glasses it seems I as a guest or have had guests of mine break- we just scope the circulars to find a great sale on them and buy a batch for us and the neighbor's to redistribute them out- to eventually break again.
My mom had an extensive Waterford crystal collection she collected slowly while she lived in England for several years to see it all shattered along the floor in pretty, colorful shards along with the heavy cabinet in the Loma Prieta earthquake in '89, but she felt lucky to have survived. So when I broke one of her few replacements years later I felt horrible but she just rolled her eyes, and remembered the terrifying earthquake, even as I offered and did eventually replace it.
I'd rather host often and have a few things break rather than never have anyone over or bring out some nice things to share.
It seems to me that that's part of having things. They can break. I can't remember ever worrying about anything like that. Anyway, if you have anything that is really that valuable, put it out of harms way.
It might not be high on the ladder of important issues, but 25 people commented on your post in about 7 hours so this evolks interest.
But if this happens more than a couple of times, and you continue to use your beloved things with guests -- which I actually think its great to do -- just practice simply saying "I Know it was an accident" and if a replacement offer is exended, accept it!
I can't recall anyone every breaking an item of mine that wasn't a borrowed tool or equipment. But I don't have many fragile things set out and when I entertain its with pretty casual china. And I don't usually allow guests to help clean up.
Just things. We console people because they have feelings and objects do not. If someone wasn't remorseful then you wouldn't need to console them, would you?
On that note the Japanese have a good way of adding character to broken pieces. Now I wish someone would break something of mine: https://www.pinterest.com/explore/kintsugi/
Location: Huntersville/Charlotte, NC and Washington, DC
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My rule of thumb you break it you buy it. Now if a friend breaks my TV which is like $200 to replace tops, I'd be ok with $100 Now if friend breaks my Macbook which is an easy grand, better bring me a big check, no way I can afford to replace that outright on my own.
Years ago, I had a set of fine, thin, crystal (I think, lol) champagne flutes, a wedding gift from my brother and his wife.
At some point I had them out, (possibly for an anniversary) and a neighbor friend of my son's, probably 8 or 9, was at the house, in the afternoon after school. Somehow he knocked one over, they were running or something. Yes, it shattered.
Aarrrgghh, I was so mad!! But of course I assured the child it was fine, no problem, don't worry about it!
Entirely my fault, of course. They never should have been out where they could have been knocked over. And unfortunately, that particular glass can never be replaced.
Just "things", yes. But sometimes special things.
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