When I was growing up, my father repaired radios, cars, furnaces, and televisions for many of people in our community. His great service gave him the opportunity to collect all kinds of items such as  irons, chairs, tables, clocks, and just about anything that one could recall.

As a youngster, I thought of his collections as mostly junk and I didn't want to see that stuff.  Guess what? Now that I am all grown up, I recognize the value of his prized possessions.  Fortunately, most of his items remain in our family because my brother showed a great deal of wisdom by keeping all the stuff that I did not want; he neatly displays the radios, televisions and other artifacts in his home in the suburbs of Washington, DC. 

I guess you could say that when I was younger, I thought the antiques were old and outdated; today, I see them as valuable items that show us just how far we have come in terms of progress. I am in a much better position to appreciate the hardwork and the handiwork that went into the manufacturing of the things that I took for granted. I also know that most of  items that my father collected were "Made in America."  Very interesting!