my irreplaceable treasure

[1]recently i gave a dinner party for some close friends. to add a touch of elegance to the evening, i brought out the good stuff--my white royal crown derby china with the fine blue-and-gold border. when we were seated, one of the guests noticed the beat-up gravy boat i’d placed among the newer, better dinnerware. "is it an heirloom?" she asked tactfully. 
[2] i admit the piece does look rather conspicuous. for one thing, it matches nothing else. it’s also old and chipped. but that little gravy boat is much more than an heirloom to me. it is the one thing in this world i will never part with.
[3] the story begins more than 50 years ago, when i was seven years old and we lived in a big house along the ohio river in new richmond, ohio. all that separated the house from the river was the street and our wide front lawn. in anticipation of high water, the ground floor had been built seven feet above grade.
[4] late in december the heavy rains came, and the river climbed to the tops of its banks. when the water began to rise in a serious way, my parents made plans in case the river should invade our house. my mother decided she would pack our books and her fine china in a small den off the master bedroom.
[5] the china was not nearly as good as it was old. each piece had a gold rim and a band of roses. but the service had been her mother’s and was precious to her. as she packed the china with great care, she said to me, "you must treasure the things that people you love have cherished. it keeps you in touch with them."