There's Great Serendipity in Collecting.

Some call it 'the thrill of the hunt,' but what about those times you don't know what you are looking for?

Call me crazy, but I love to prowl thrift shoppes, stroll around at flea markets, bum around from garage sale to garage sale, and aimlessly wander through junk stores. It's not the thrill of shopping for a bargain or getting a deal, it's encountering the unknown.

The internet is great if you know what you want - put in your search terms, and hope that of the links you see before you, the 'good one' hasn't already been sold - or isn't simply another collector posting his goodies to show the world what he's already won. But for those of us who adore the chance of discovery, there's nothing like the charm of a 'wasted' afternoon poking about in piles of items that others have discarded.

Unlike a planned event, where you select the entertainment - for example, to see a film - you don't really know what will happen when you visit thrift shoppes, rummage sales, etc. Planning excursions to those places where the second hand rubble is strewn about is to decide not to know what will happen.

It's inviting the goddess of serendipity into your life.

If you are lucky, you may find the final piece to your established collection - volume 3 in a series of 15, of which you already have 14. It's the adventure of locating what you never had. But if you are very lucky, you will find something better than that.

The very lucky reclaim memories - you'll recognize those fortunate folks as they exclaim "Oh, I remember this!" It's fun to remember, to rediscover the 'you' that you once were. It can also be free, if you can resist the desire to reclaim the thing along with the memory. But to-buy or not-to-buy, remembering is a sweet victory that surpasses any auction win. Or it comes darn close, anyway. It's the kismet of digging through things and coming up with a piece of the past.

But luckiest of all are those who find new passions - new things they must have. Yes, 'things' not 'thing', for no collector every really wants to be done. While he may take great joy in volumes 1-15, there must always be another series to covet. It's the delight in knowing that this destination delivered your destiny.

It's the joy of discovering something you always wanted, but just didn't know it yet.

Article by Pop_Tart


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