Now that Christmas is behind us, I can share a pic of one thing I made and gave to my sisters, cousins, mother and aunt: this Lenox teacup I upcycled into a pin cushion.

The teacups came from an incomplete set of china I rescued from an uncle’s house last summer, after decades of use for special occasions and family meals since the 1940s. My mother and aunt helped me box it up, telling wonderful stories while we worked, all about the women who used these pieces. Most of the dinner plates were still intact, but only two salad bowls, plus a couple of serving dishes and twelve of these teacups. I brought it all home, determined to find a way to share these history-bearing treasures with the rest of my family.

One of my go-to podcasts, NPR’s Life Kit, had an episode last fall called “How to Deepen Your Connections with Your Ancestors.” It included an interview with an ancestral psychotherapist who “helps her clients understand how their ancestors’ lives affect their lives today.” When I gave the teacup pincushion to my aunt, I shared a little about this and we talked about the abandonment issues that run deep in our family tree. Divorce. Death. Estrangement. Women who endured multiple marriages, seeking a stability that never seemed to come. My grandmother’s mother died before my grandmother turned 6, and her father sent her away to live with the aunt who owned these teacups. I wonder what memories these heirlooms would bring up for her.

The podcast talked about creating an ancestral altar – a place in your home where a few prized objects are displayed in celebration of your family history. My teacup pincushion sits on a shelf in my living room, atop a tin where I keep a variety of family treasures. A great aunt’s charm bracelet. My maternal grandmother’s sorority pins. A ring my paternal grandmother bought for me when we visited the St. Louis Arch. I’ve always known the value of these things, but love having language now for why, and having one more object front-and-center to remind me I’m not the first person in my family to go through some things.

Perhaps, someday, something of mine will sit on a descendant’s shelf and my story will encourage and inspire them.