Nambe And You–Polishing Away The Damage
“Can you make this ruined platter look like new?”
That question is one that I’m sure Lenore, the very helpful representative for Nambé Mills, is asked quite often.The Nambé company is headquartered in Santa Fe, New Mexico, but their award-winning, beautiful aluminum alloy products and other artisanware is sold all over the world and even displayed in museums.
As with any shiny metal, things can happen to harm the finish and that is when people call Lenore. She provides the information for how you can use Nambé’s repolishing service and have your platter or other item looking like new in a few weeks.
When you wish you could make things new again
Many of us wish we could send our lives, our work, our relationships, our choices, a specific event or just the last week, day or hour back to the repolishing factory. We sometimes desperately wish we could have things back the way they used to be or better.
Instead of that analogy, some people may prefer to be more self-accepting and talk about enjoying the luster that comes with age and the one about being useful in spite of not looking very good or the advice to look at the marks and remember the happy times that caused them.
Whatever our perspective, a metal platter isn’t a good analogy for human lives. Life, death and the sometimes joyous-sometimes tragic events that come between those two points can’t be reduced to such glib comparisons. Nevertheless, perhaps there are a few thoughts we can apply.
1. It’s easier to avoid damage than to repair it.
2. At least you can stop adding new gouges.
3. You can make the decision to damage yourself but you don’t have the right to damage others.
4. Even if improvements don’t show right away the process can be working.
5. No matter how bad things are now, it can be made better if you search for the right way to do it–and do what it takes to make it happen.
Some of you could add to or improve that list with humorous, profound or faith-based thoughts. The point is this: We can’t, in the human world, go back, do over or make anything new. What we can do is stop doing the things that have left the marks we wish we could polish away. We can be more and do more to have value to ourselves and others. We can also whole-heartedly accept and appreciate the opportunities we are given to renew, renovate and recommit. We get that opportunity every day. Like, right now.
Thank you, Lenore and Nambe!
This was a wonderful post. I love the way you see things and share them. Smiles!
Comment by Maura L. | January 29, 2011
My mom has a platter we have offered to fix for her but she says she loves every scratch and dent. But, you’re right, we don’t think about ourselves that way. I know a few things I wish I could do again.
Comment by Mike | January 29, 2011
Tina says: Thanks Maura and Mike for the comments! And right away, too! I responded to each of you by email.
Comment by TLR | January 29, 2011
“Behold, I make all things news.” (Rev. 21:5) Praise the LORD, that is the promise we’ve been given when we trust in HIM! When we’re scarred and scared the HOLY SPIRIT can make us shine. What a message of hope for sinners! Praise the LORD, Praise the LORD! Thank you for your service to HIS kingdom! Robert J. Lancaster
Comment by Elder Robert J. Lancaster | January 29, 2011
Tina says: Thank you, Elder Lancaster, for your comment. I’ve sent the security material you requested and hope you find it helpful.
Comment by TLR | January 29, 2011
Hi Tina! I’m on nights again and Mike is on days, so he’ll beat me to the comments. 🙂
Dr. Nicolleti says something like this but not with a picture of a BIG Nambe platter! I have candle holders. LOL
Comment by denisek | January 29, 2011
I thought you might like to know that I’m going to use your article in my Bible Study this week. I’m going to have members find all the Bible Verses that pertain to the idea of renewing. One that I immediately thought of was Psalm 51:10. “Renew a right spirit within me.” Thank you for the inspiration!
Comment by Gateway | January 30, 2011
One more for your list.
6. Don’t be so delicate that you need to be repolished often because you won’t find many people who are willing to do it.
I’m glad you’re not here now, Missy. It’s -6 but we’re due for -21. Hope to see you in the Summer though.
Comment by wiseacre | January 31, 2011
Tina says: Thank you Gateway, for letting me know you’re reading and using the article. Very nice!
Wiseacre: You must be in Laramie, where–as I write this–it’s -26. But the report says the winds are calm now. That helps! But not much!
Comment by TLR | February 1, 2011
I can’t begin to tell you how many times I’ve wished I could take myself to a place that could make me different and better. The things that would make a big difference in my life are the things I can’t seem to improve for very long at a time. My life isn’t the way I want it to be at all. I look at myself in the mirror and ask myself why I’ve let things get like this. I feel like it’s hopeless to think I can turn things around. My friends and family think I could change overnight if I wanted to, but I do want to and I still can’t get myself to do the right things. Every day I swear I’ll do better but it never happens, day after day. I feel like I’m completely out of control with the things I do that cause me so many problems. Do you have any ideas for what I could do to break bad habits and be a better person? Thanks for your time.
Comment by Thinking | February 2, 2011
Tina says: Thank you, Thinking, for sharing your thoughts and concerns. I’ve written you an email with many thoughts of my own. I’ll mention a couple of them here for others who may be reading.
First, I know how hard it is to make positive changes and break habits. Oh my, do I know! Almost everyone struggles with that. That’s why I said it’s easier to not get into problems than to try to get out of them. It’s much easier to resist the first few temptations than it is to break a habit once it’s started.
I don’t know what habit you’re speaking of, but it could be you should see a doctor or mental health professional to help you with some aspect of it. If you have a faith-based affiliation, speak to someone there as well. You mentioned your friends and family, so perhaps there is a trusted person you could talk to. If there is a twelve-step program like AA that would help, find out if there is a chapter in our area and attend. The bottom line is that you may need an outside perspective to help you, encourage you and give you ideas for how to succeed.
The other thing to remember is this: It ISN’T too late to do something better. It’s NEVER too late. You may wish you hadn’t wasted days, weeks or months. However, you can stop wasting them now and start doing things differently.
You know how you feel after you have done something you later regret or when you have failed to do something you wanted to do. At that moment you wish you could do it over and do things the right way. Instead of wishing for that, do it right on the first take and experience the thrill of knowing you conquered something for at least one time that normally had power over you. Take that power away the next time too and the next time. In a short amount of time you can have your wished-for life…or at least be closer to it.
That’s a simplistic response, I realize, but it’s true. Please keep in touch with me, every day if you want to. Let me know how things are going. You can do it and it’s not too late. Best wishes to you!
Comment by TLR | February 2, 2011
Hi Tina! I would usually never comment, even though I like all of your articles and have ideas about some of them. I’m doing it now because I want to respond to “Thinking”, if you think it would help to publish it.
To tell the story briefly, I had a cluster of serious behavioral problems for twenty years and eight months. I never thought I could overcome them and I seriously considered doing myself in because I was so depressed. I could not see any way out at all. I wasn’t at rock bottom yet, but my life was just one big lie and there was no hope in sight.
Finally, I invested the money in a counselor who specialized in one of the areas I had problems in. A professional counselor is like having a fitness trainer because you feel like if you’re paying for the time you should do the homework. In a little over a month, the big monster that had taken over my life had left and by six months I was completely free of it. I mean that literally. In 30 days the problem I had for twenty years was gone and in six months I was better than I ever imagined I could be.
I still have to deal with the fall-out of the bad times. I can’t expect everyone to forgive and forget. But, I can say I’m sorry and they know I mean it and have changed.
To Thinking: See a professional counselor or therapist who you can open up to. I don’t know what your problems might be, but I know it’s not too late to do something about them. I’m grateful every day for the fact that I don’t have a monster in my life anymore and I never will again. Good luck!
Thanks, Tina for letting me comment like this. I hope it helps.
Comment by Been There | February 3, 2011
Tina says: Been There, your comments were perfect for the situation, thank you. I’ve also forwarded them to “Thinking.” Usually comments on articles are light-hearted and I think it’s good to sometimes share the more serious aspects of life. I enjoy the light-hearted side, too! Best wishes!
Comment by TLR | February 3, 2011
I just want to say that I love your blog! My guy friend told me about it and said I would find something good in everything and he was right. I don’t know where you find all the ideas and then find the time to write about them.
I wanted to comment on this one because some things have happened in my life that I have wished I could wipe away. I could relate to what “Thinking” said and I liked what you and “Been There” responded to that person. I needed both of those answers for myself and I sincerely will apply them.
I wish I could meet you some day! A.
Comment by A.P. | February 10, 2011