I bought this table from a boutique furniture store 13 years ago. I started to move the junk before I snapped a pic, but then I thought better of it. This photo is truth.

The table originally sat in the dining area of my post-graduation apartment, and it was the biggest purchase I made for the new space. Everything else was either donated by my parents or a remnant from my grad school studio.

The salesperson told me the table was made from rubber wood, a material that was both sturdy and eco-friendly. “Your table can take a hit,” he said.

I had no intention of my table getting even the slightest ding. I protected with placemats and cleaned after each use. I once got into an argument with a boyfriend because he didn’t see the need to adhere to my clear and clean routine.

That was a lifetime ago. Now, as the kitchen table, it serves as a dining area, craft corner, and way station. We clear it daily for meals, but the clutter reappears almost instantly after we’re done. There are marker and paint stains I can’t remove, and occasionally, I find dried glue and tape stuck to its surface.

None of that matters anymore. When I see those stains, I think of Mini Me, who sits at her place and fills notebooks with artistic creations. There are dings from the pots and platters I use when we host holiday dinners. The memories our family has made make the table more special that it ever was 13 years ago.

The salesperson was right though. It can take a hit.