It's MINE!

Durning a family vacation, staying at my parents house, with my five year old son and 6 year old niece, we often hear the words "mine!" shouted through the house as the kids try claim ownership of a particular toy.

It prompted a childhood memory where I can remember myself loudly expressing to my Dad my ownership of some object as "MINE". His reply was a loud, "NO it's not YOURS, it's MINE." Then to add emphasis, he motioned with his arm around the room and said, "It's ALL MINE."

At the time, I was slightly dismayed and confused by this because something in what he said seemed to be true. Even at my young age I could concede that, yes, he did actually buy all of these items, but at the same time I felt a discomfort almost like an imcompleteness to the statement.

Recently, I decided I would just be attatched to one thing. Just my mother's ring, because, I figured, how hard can it be to protect it? It would be safe to get really attached to this one thing. I thought of all the ways to take care of it.

A few months later someone stole it. Strange thing. The theif only took the ring. It did not have much monetary value, I figured a theif would overlook it and take the jewels worth more money, but they went straight for my mother's ring. They actually had to dig around for it. Anyway, at least they had good taste.

Ocassionally, I remember my Dad's words and the same feeling of curiousity will arise as if I was still trying to understand a part of the conversation I still suspected was missing.

Maybe 30 years have passed and while sitting quietly drinking a cup of coffee this morning I realized I finally have the other part of the conversational equation that my five year old self suspected was there but missing it's expression.

Me at 5: "It's MINE!"
Dad: No!" It's MINE!"
Me at 5: "Hmmm. Maybe it's not mine...he did buy it...but...."
Me at 34: Finally solving the equation. "You are right. It's not mine. But neither is it yours."