“Be very careful, then, how you live — not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil” (Eph. 5:15-16).

Antiquing is one of my favorite things to do. I guess it could be called a hobby since it can cost money. I’ve met great people along the way and found some pretty cool stuff.

My love of antiques comes from spending a significant amount of time with my grandparents as a child and by watching how the styles and trends change over the years. I’ve come to appreciate things that can’t be found anywhere except in an antique store. I could buy whatever I wanted or needed from a Target or department store but there’s something about buying things with a story behind them.

‘If these items could talk’

Since I’m a regular at a few of the shops, I’ve been able to talk to the sellers and listen to the stories of how they got started in the business. It usually begins with a loved one passing away and they’ve had to clear out stuff from the home. They then share interesting facts about the items they’re selling and some of the memories behind them.

I’m not a sentimental person necessarily but after listening to their stories, shopping at an antique store takes on an entirely new meaning. I mean if these items could talk, what a story they would tell. Stories of families sharing a laugh and a meal together at the table on the first aisle, or the beautiful necklace worn on a special occasion from a booth on the next.

I often think about the things I’ll eventually leave behind. Not just tangible things but legacies and memories of how I’ve lived my life and the purpose behind the choices I’ve made that have impacted someone either for good or bad. It’s easy to get careless going from day to day because sometimes the days seem to be the same, but remember every day is a new day to do something meaningful and to leave a legacy that could change someone’s life.