My Here Is: DON’T GIVE UP THE VALUABLE PIECES.”

Two sizeable decks with ample and comfortable seating complete the living area of the condo and afford views of the grassy common area. The location of Nancy’s condo provides some wellappreciated quiet and privacy.

But, as she notes, her condo community is like a little village, and she’s enjoying meeting new neighbors and spending time with old friends. She especially favors cocktail hours on the decks, which, she says, make her condo feel more like a house.

Reflections

When Nancy ponders her moves and the possessions she relinquished over the years, she has a mix of emotions.

Some regrets center on parting with pieces that belonged to her mother. She remembers the fine quality and craftsmanship of many of them. She also laments that so many similar furnishings, once high-end and costly, have seemingly lost most of their inherent value in today’s market.

“I just didn’t have the space for everything,” she says. “In retrospect, maybe I should have gotten a bigger storage unit. My advice here is: don’t give up the valuable pieces.”

Nancy’s reverie doesn’t overwhelm her pragmatism.

“In the end, they are only things; they’re just possessions,” she says.

Still, when visiting her adult children and their families, she takes joy in seeing how they have incorporated many of her cast-off pieces into their home décor. Indeed, as some of her grandchildren approach adulthood, they, too, will be beneficiaries of their grandmother’s collections, from furnishings to artwork to dishes and household items, as they set up their first apartments.

All this passing on of items and their background stories provide Nancy with joy, but family is always the priority.

“What’s important is where your family is,” she says. “In the end, what difference does it make…physical things aren’t the important things. Just go with how you are feeling and enjoy your life and your family. Downsizing can be a very positive, pleasant experience, and every stage of life can be exciting with new adventures.” ◆