Keepsakes

Gathering keepsakes is one of my favorite ways to keep in touch with special moments in my life. Maybe they are the glue that helps hold my memories together.

Our kitchen has four lovely tall windows that showcase the grandeur of the evergreen cedar trees interspersed with the trees and flowers that show changing seasons.  I love cooking, and being in this space makes me happy. One of the windowsills is a perfect place for some of my simple treasures.

Sitting on this shelf are five small seashells that I gathered on the Normandy Beach in France. Just the sight of these tiny objects can take me back to this place. It was a very cloudy, gloomy day with a cool wind whipping up foamy surf over the bluish-gray ocean.  I can feel the misty wetness of the air on my face as I wandered up and down the beach.  So many brave soldiers gave their lives for our country. Tears ran down my face as I thought of the cries of pain and sounds of guns exploding in the air. These little sea creatures who have left their shells behind are a reminder of so much history. 

Also on this sill is a small, beautifully woven basket filled with odds and ends that I’ve collected over the past few years.  Nuts from the horse chestnut tree remind me of my favorite season—fall. In late September on my daily walks with our dog, Gabby, I round them up quickly before the squirrels hide them in preparation for their winter dinners.  I use these few rounded beauties to accent the autumn table designs for cozy dinner parties. These gifts from nature add a texture to the setting.

Competing for space in the small basket with the nuts is a miniature green plastic baby Jesus.  It came from the King Cake which I ordered for a Mardi Gras party. When I see this little plastic piece, the smell of spicy gumbo and laughing with friends race through my head.

Another place I store many keepsakes is my old jewelry box. Its contents stir up so many stories of how I acquired the special pieces and when I wore a necklace, a ring, earrings, or a pin. Nestled in among the stones and golds and silvers is a very light blue button about an inch across that seems slightly out of place. This “gem” had been carefully removed from a beautiful light blue furry sweater. In Christmas of 1963, this sweater was my first gift from Chuck. I had kept the sweater for years and worn it on special occasions. Finally, the moths began their munching. I was so disappointed when I found the holes!  I just couldn’t bear to think of throwing it away. So, I decided to cut off one of the buttons just to remind me of Chuck’s very early love for me. Even after 50+ years of marriage, when I hold this button and rub my finger over it, I can still recall the butterflies of first love. I think this button is just as precious to me as the other glittery and artistic pieces that Chuck has given to me.

This jewelry box also protects my grandmother’s brooch, which I wore on my wedding dress. The gold etching is faded and worn. I love its simplicity. This small delicate piece just helps me stay connected to a grandmother whom I never knew.

Thinking about keepsakes makes me realize that I have them all around me. The containers that hold the cherished items are as different as the items. Some are hidden away in the cedar chest while many others are corralled in artistic boxes or just plain archival boxes to protect them from the light and environmental elements. Some sit in plain view to decorate a space. Two special keepsakes have a prominent place on the sideboard in the dining room. Each triangular box is filled with a US flag which draped the caskets of relatives who have gone before us.

Every keepsake has its own story no matter where it is kept. The memories surrounding each item continue to tie the family story together.

Chuck’s mother certainly valued the keepsake of love letters.  A cardboard shoebox that traveled from Indiana to California in 1946 held her memories and secrets. As you read my story, The Ribbon Untied, A Journey to Finding a Family, you will probably see how these keepsakes helped us unravel the story of Chuck’s family.

When I am long gone from this earth our girls will probably find these keepsakes and wonder “why did mom keep nuts and seashells and plastic buttons?”  I hope they will remember some of my stories and continue to build their own collection.

What are some of your favorite keepsakes? Do they bring back special memories? Where do you keep them? And who will hear your stories?