Like many people, I like to make resolutions for the new year. I mean, who doesn’t want to better themselves? Goals are good. But, in the past, I vowed that the new year meant a new me – as if the old me wasn’t good enough. It’s like taking a banged-up piece of old metal and melting it down for something shiny and new.
I had that image in my head as I was considering what changes I wanted to make for 2020. This banged-up piece of old metal wanted to be something not only shiny and new, but sleek and functional as well. I didn’t just want a makeover; I wanted to be something totally different – a fantasy me.
Then another image popped into my head. A memory, really.
When I was a young historian at a historic house museum in Maryland, one of my first tasks was to polish thirty pieces of early-Baltimore silver that had been donated by a local family. These pieces had been shoved to the back of a closet for many years and were black with tarnish. For those of you unfamiliar with early-Baltimore silver, it’s very intricate with lots of raised flowers and designs. Cleaning these objects meant not only using a cloth, but special cotton buds to get into all the nooks and crannies. It took me nearly two months to finish the project, but it was genuinely worth it. Turns out those pieces were pretty significant.
Thinking about that silver made me reassess my attitude towards myself and my resolutions. Perhaps I’m not something that needs to be melted down and recast into a new object after all. Instead, maybe I’m a piece of old Maryland silver – dented and in need of a polish, but still a significant object. And if after a vigorous cleaning some tarnish remains in the tiny crevices – oh well. The contrast it creates will make the workmanship even more visible.
So, this year, I’m not looking for a new me. I’m looking for some silver polish and a cloth.
Time to get buffing!
I hope you enjoyed this edition of A Baltimorean Abroad. If you have any questions or comments, please feel free to leave them in the comment box below. I look forward to hearing from you!
Laura Marshallsay is a language and communication consultant in Frankfurt, Germany. She helps professionals improve their English so they can present themselves to the world with confidence. Check out her website, www.marshallsayenglish.com for more information.
A Baltimorean Abroad 