Love & Wonder at the Garage Sale

Let’s start with the birds, because a hummingbird makes an appearance later. After many, many attempts to keep the squirrels (sky rats!) off various bird feeders, my wife Allison figured it out. Long story, not really important. But there it was, the set-up with the plastic shell that reduced the squirrels to picking up the bird’s spilled seed. What counts is this: Allison made the effort, again and again, because she loved watching the birds gather in the morning, merrily picking away. Found it beautiful, looked in wonder, was grateful to see it. Can you understand this? It’s a matter of taking the time and paying attention.

This is the story of taking time and paying attention. It was not long after the wooden hexagonal bird feeder was in full swing, a morning to appreciate the birds again. It was Saturday August 7, and we had a garage sale planned. We ended up continuing it for a bit Sunday morning, we thought because we still had the set of 4 mid-century dining room chairs to sell, but we realized later it was so we could be gifted leftover church food (this will make sense).

Waking up, grabbing coffee, reporting for duty. Allison put me to work right away moving display tables into the driveway and loading them up: higher end knick-knacks, art work, Italian dishes, other dishes, chairs, stray appliances, lamps, a sturdy bench, decorative objects, fabric, more chairs, end tables, mirrors…you get the picture. The staging was all important; the curb appeal necessary. Signs went out at 2 intersections, our cars parked out of the way. Ready, set, sell!

We felt the crackling good vibes from the start. The weather was cooperating, slight chance of thunderstorms in the afternoon. Both of us set to enjoy hanging out together, counting fat cash. But it turns out cash was not the most important thing we got. Instead, the only rain from the sky was, well, angels. This is not said in jest. There is no other way to explain it, at least for us.

We got visited by angels disguised as buyers of our stuff. As hanger-arounders that spoke of life and love, ashes and injuries. As people who told us personal stories and thanked us for listening. It became abundantly clear that the sale was just the universe’s way of keeping us in one place for the day.

The individual encounters added up to an experience that was greater than the sum of its parts. It was a kaleidoscope that came into sharp relief by Sunday at noon: we were offered beauty and truth if we paid the simple price of taking the time and paying attention. Being open to messages, willing to really believe everything happens for a reason. Just being receptive and stripping the bullshit away.

First up was a woman who sauntered over and started asking questions about our stuff. Questions more to do with what the stories were behind the items, not just what the prices were. She ended up hanging out for quite a while, returning to her car to grab a piece of cheesecake and come back and talk some more. Then she reminded us to be generous to strangers.

After claiming a wrought iron 2-person outdoor glider for herself, she was in no hurry to load it in the car and go. Instead, she overheard a couple telling us about the renovated porch they were finishing and how the glider is just perfect for it. This woman didn’t hesitate, she told the couple they could have it. So casual, so matter of fact. Based on how much she loved it, the sacrifice was a reinforcement of the joy that comes from giving rather than receiving.

Next came an apparition of sorts, or it seemed to me at first. It was a sensory overload of a striking, narrow-faced woman wearing something that looked like a bell man’s cap, adorned with plastic flowers. It did not look silly; it made a statement. She wore a Sari and smelled like incense, but it didn’t slide into caricature. It was her smile that pulled it all together.

She proceeded to tell us that she had just come from her aunt’s 96^th birthday party at a nursing home up the street. She had stopped at a garage sale just that morning but felt drawn to ours as she whizzed by the sign, circling the block to find us. It seems her other aunt and cousin spent most of the time at the party scolding the birthday aunt and telling her she needed to eat more “real” food. But, she wondered, wasn’t birthday cake food? She showed us pictures and a short video of the cake-eating. It was marvelous. Her first message to us was don’t sweat the “should,” just enjoy the cake.

Her next message was more pointed. After major oohing and ahhing about a metal sculpture of a branch with birds and a wall hanging of wood and metal she told us she had a shrine in her garden. It was dedicated to the memory of her mother and sister, she missed both of them terribly and didn’t mind telling us so. She said they both loved flowers and these two pieces would look wonderful as part of the shrine. We heard it loud and clear—bury the dead but not your feelings.

After that a grandma with two beautiful grand baby girl toddlers rolled up. The little girls investigated the fun found in other people’s stuff. The love that kept exchanging between grandma and the girls was awe-striking. Conversing back and forth, seemingly converting the air into loving breezes. The easy and total trust and love broadcast the lesson: wear your life like a loose garment, and sweep the sky of clutter.

At the very end of the day, as we were putting unsold stuff back into the garage, a family drove up in a last-legs car. Mom, Dad, 2 kids under 10. They spoke very little English and I gave them a “hola, como estas?” They returned rapid fire Spanish. I said I spoke only “un poquito.” They smiled and kept looking.

It’s easy to tell when someone likes an item, and we saw them light up at a couple of chairs and some dishes. With just a glance between me and Allison, we charged them a very few bucks for what they wanted and gave them a bunch of stuff for free. The excitement when they loaded the stuff up was palpable. The message for us? Generosity is more a gift from the recipient to the giver than anything else.

The next morning, we decided to put out just a few things. Soon yesterday’s grandma, decked out in her Sunday best, rolled up to say hi. But not just that, she insisted we take some sandwiches from her church’s post-service social. And some cake and macaroni salad too. It was an exchange of nourishment for the body, after the previous day’s filling grace of her and the grandbabies. Score one for laughter, and positive wishes you can quickly have with strangers, if you want it. A declaration that everything comes together in the end.

The final visitation was Sheila, she had a son who was recovering from a very bad accident and not in the best shape. We chit-chatted and then she hit us with, “I hope it’s okay to ask you this…would you pray with me for my son?” We took no offense, joined hands and said a prayer. The message is don’t hesitate to ask the universe for blessings.

Sometime later that day there it was, a hummingbird right at our front window. There are lots of things that people say the bird represents, I’ll go with joy, healing, good luck and messages from spirits.

Because the loud & clear from the whole garage sale was to take time and pay attention; bask in the constant glow of precious life around you. To live in and affirm the connectedness of all things, all people, all garage sales, all not-offhand remarks that speak to all of us together. And more.