Friday, August 17, 2012

Memories

We have been given some great pieces of furniture. A friend's aunt was moving from her apartment into an assisted living facility and needed to size down.  She had a great collection that she and her husband had accumulated from their years of travel. All of her little treasures from her travels had labels on them. The labels listed where she got them and what the occasion was.  She would make Martha proud with her labeling system. 

It got me thinking about my "little treasures."  Will my daughter treasure them as I do?  Will they wind up in a hot attic or a garage sale?  I have a few pieces that belonged to my grandmother and great grandmother. When I look at the dishes or the old oil lamp I feel a connection to my ancestors.  I remember where the pieces were in their houses, the smell of their houses, and the safe warm feeling I had when I was with them.  My daughter didn't know them so will she have any connection to them?  Many times I've shown her the pieces and told her who they were from.  Did she listen?  If I quizzed her would she know the story behind them? Does it really matter?  After all it's just....."stuff."  When my mom and grandmother were alive it was just "stuff" to me too.  Now they've become my treasures, my connection to my past. 

I find myself taking these treasures out to show my granddaughter. She loves looking at them. She'll ask me questions about who they belonged to. I tell her the story about how my grandma would make hot chocolate on cold mornings in a pot that I now use to boil eggs in.  She laughs every time I show her my great grandfather's mustache cup.  She loves looking at the plastic bride and groom that sat on my wedding cake.  She tells me that one day she'll put it on her wedding cake. 

Will these things become memories for her and will she remember the stories I've told her?  Will she remember the smell of our house, the smile on my face, the love in my heart when I shared these stories with her?

It is my hope that she will, and that it will not be just "STUFF" to her.

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Debbie and Karen