Conni, I could not help crying as I read your beautiful post. Something for everyone to read and reflect upon. I felt emotional as I felt your own feelings, as you mused about the idea of "value" for others in the family. You are so right about some ignoring what their family leaves for them, and paying good money later to buy it from somewhere. As I come to the end of your story, I think of my own "collections" and what they might mean to my family - my husband and son are both minimalists and seem to have no sentimental attachment to anything at home. In fact, they are not even aware of what we have at home --in the kitchen attic and in the so-many-boxes of stuff. I am terrified that if something suddenly happened to me, they'd be lost over what to do with it all. Scary thought!