Luck

If you were lucky enough to choose a husband who stuck it out with you when you were less than perfect (and smart enough to stay with him when he was), who was lucky enough to work 30 years at a job he mostly enjoyed and that provided him with a good pension, then you and he can retire and start over. You can decide what you want your life to be like. You can keep the good parts and leave the cracked plates behind. 

Glasses and dishes in our kitchen cupboard

In our case, we did not move all our baggage with us, because we will be going back to it. It's more like an extended vacation. We have a new house with new furnishings and plates. In fairness, I have to say, it helps to have a child who has good taste and enjoys finding deals. We will rent this house to other people when it gets too hot for us to stay here, so it needs to be fully furnished. We get to decide what we need and what we can do without. At the moment, no waffle iron, blender, or electric mixer. (One of these days, I will see how it works to use an egg beater to make meringues.)

Did you know how much you can buy at a thrift store? I don't mean clothes, I don't need any more clothes before I die (probably). Glasses of all kinds for 99 cents or less. Plates and bowls that match. Cloth napkins. And furniture. These are all at one store. I have been looking for canisters without much success. I found a smallish one at a different store. Of course, I don't want plastic ones.