The Things We Cherish In Uncertain Times

Unprecedented. This is the word used to describe the COVID-19 pandemic gripping the globe. But societies have endured countless calamities in the past: the Hoovervilles and Hobo Jungles of the Great Depression, the bombing of Pearl Harbor, the casualties of the Korean and Vietnam wars, the terrorist attacks on 9/11. In times of uncertainty, there’s no place like home — the repository of our cherished possessions.

My husband, Andy, would tell you I like “stuff.” Sentimental items. Decorative pieces. Unique finds. Homemade and store-bought art adorns our walls. Collectibles fill shelves and tabletops. Our fireplace mantle showcases much of my Belleek Irish porcelain, as well as our wedding photo and my (faux flower) brooch bouquet, cradled for all eternity in a simple glass vase.

But perhaps it’s my burgeoning assortment of Russian matryoshka dolls (meaning little matron) that people most associate with me. I have a little over