Favorite Possessions

My favorite possessions have to be divided into Before Spain and After Spain.

Before I went to Spain to live, my favorite possession was my ‘77 Corvette.

Owning a Corvette was always on my “Someday” list along with Learning to Fly a Plane and we already know how that turned out.

“Someday” Owning a Corvette had a happier outcome.

I knew nothing about cars but Ro and his friend Tony knew everything about cars. I gave them the mission to, “Go find me a Corvette”.

Every Saturday morning Ro and Tony checked the newspaper’s classified section for any Corvettes for sale.

If there was one listed, they would go check it out and decide if it was worthy of my purchase.

One Saturday morning, I answered the phone to hear Ro say, “Come get your Corvette”.

I went to the address he gave me to find Ro, Tony and the man and wife sellers standing around a beautiful ‘77 Corvette.

Ro said, “This is the Corvette to buy. Pay the man.”

“Hmmm. Do you think I should at least drive it first?”

“Can if you want to, but Tony and I have checked it out and we’re sure this is the Corvette for you”.

I drove home a beautiful, like new, two year old, tan color ‘77 Corvette. 
The official color was Buckskin but Ro always called it Band Aid Beige.

The Corvette was my prized possession.

When I decided to move to Spain in 1999, I knew I would be there indefinitely; maybe even forever. 

I sold virtually everything I owned; house, cars, furniture, clothes, personal items. Everything.

I was on my way to Spain!

It was when I was on the plane; the plane rolling down the tarmac; then
lifting off when it occurred to me, “I own nothing.”

In that instant, I was overwhelmed with a feeling that I never had before and never had since.

I’ve never found words to accurately describe the feeling.

When I’ve tried, most people just look at me like I might be weird.

It was my friend, Janice, who explained the feeling to me.
She said it was the feeling of freedom, “You don’t own possessions; possessions own you.”

Since then, I refuse to be, “owned by possessions”.

I don’t want the biggest condo, the fanciest car, the shiniest diamond ring or the most ‘stuff’.

My favorite possession now is an old, beat up, green metal footlocker filled with precious mementos and family pictures. 

I left it at Ro’s house when I went to Spain, but it’s back home with me now.

No more Corvettes for me.

– Sue Williams