A few years ago I was looking through my mother’s purse for something (don’t worry, I had her permission – ha!) and I pulled out a little memo pad that I recognized from my childhood. She was harboring the same note pad that I had drawn on many, many times as kid, while bored on some mundane errand like standing in the line at the DMV. Let’s just say it saved both of our sanity many a time.
As I flipped through it, I stared at its yellowed and bent pages like some sort of time capsule. There they were right before me, my own childish scribbles, looking like a foreign language. Besides being interested in my artistic legacy (HA!), I was also curious as to why she had kept the same note pad for SO long.
When I asked her why I believe she said something to the effect of, “Because there are still some blank sides where I can write my notes.” What notes? Yeah, she had written a few addresses and phone numbers in there but as she winked at me I figured that wasn’t the only reason she kept that little collection of papers and drawings.
There were memories on that paper for both of us and after many new purses that paper pad always made the transfer into her latest handbag.
So now I plan to put a little memo pad (or 2) in my purse so that my boys can scribble while we are out and about. It beats the noise of a Leapster and no doubt it will create many a memory.
In the same vein, I realized the other day that I was also hanging on to something for the sake of the memories. I have kept a basket of small hand towels in my bathroom since Tim and I moved into our town home a couple of years after we were married. I remember when Tim’s Grandparents first came to visit us there and his Grandmother gave me a compliment on my decorating and especially on the bathroom.
For some reason that memory has always stuck with me and I associated it with that basket of towels. It even made the move to our house and took up residence on the edge of our tub. Every time I looked at it I thought of her and how good she made me feel that day about our little home.
This same basket remained on the edge of our master bathtub until just the other day when Little G knocked it into the tub full of bath water. It was then that I realized we had never used even one of those towels after alsmost nine years and they were still like new. I also came to the realization that they were no longer “safe” on the edge of the tub, where the boys usually bathe, and decided to put them in the wash (and thus into the towel circulation for the first time!). I knew in my heart that it really had no purpose there on the edge of the tub, except that every time I saw it there, I thought of that day and the lovely, heart-warming memory that she had gifted me with.
I have yet to figure out how to repurpose the now empty basket but I must admit, I am quite excited about my “new” towels!
So tell me, what do you see in your house every day, or in your purse for that matter, that conjures up good memories? Just curious…
I frame some of the boys art work and hang it in the dining/kitchen area. They love it. I also bought 16×20 canvases and let them make masterpieces, they hang in black frames over the fireplace. They are so proud of their contribution to our home.
After my mom passed, I found a lipstick at her house, I needed to throw on lipstick, so I took it and stuck it in my purse. A few days later I looked at the lipstick, the color name was Heaven. I still have that lipstick.
That is so sweet 🙂
I guess for me it is the quilts my mom made for all the kids. The older girls’ rooms don’t work with them but they are still up 🙂
I love that! I also have framed artwork of the kids in my laundry room, which is good. It lessens my wrath that grows when I do their gross nasty laundry when I glance up and remember they were sweet young precious ones at one time…
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Iam so sorry, I have no idea what the heck just happened. Love google…
I kept the “coming home from the hospital” outfits for each of my kids and see them whenever I go in my craft room 🙂
Oh, Elaine, I LOVE this post! So sweet 🙂
Let me see…probably a blanket my great grandmother made. She has passed on and everytime I cuddle up in it I am reminded what a loving, caring, sweet woman she was. I will NEVER part with that blanket. Never.
I have the faux flower bouquet that I carried on my wedding day hanging in the kitchen. It’s a reminder of a sweet day!
This was a sweet story…
I love this! I sometimes forget to remember the beautiful memories that are attached to things when I go on purging rampages. You know, we have too much c-r-a-p and stuff starts flying to goodwill.
😉
But I am currently looking at a mug that Jay had made with a picture of the boys when they were 3 years and 6 months….and I remember when I got it how proud I was of those two…and the pride grows exponentially every day.
You know? I love my wrap around stairway. As you walk up, there are pictures of the baby from months 1-8 in chronological order. I smile every single time I walk up the stairs.
You know? I love my wrap around stairway. As you walk up, there are pictures of the baby from months 1-8 in chronological order. I smile every single time I walk up the stairs.
This is such a sweet post!
I think for me it is mostly the pictures we have all over the house. To see us when we were dating, married, the kids when they were younger…can instantly take me to another place. My MIL also knits blankets for the kids when they are born and those are a great reminder of her love.
Gorgeous post! This one really touched me! I have two boxes of memories tucked away – one of every card and letter my hubby and I ever exchanged, and another with the hospital cap, coming-home outfit, favorite rattle and other special things from Nadia. But this inspires me to start some new traditions and lend meaning to more otherwise meaningless items!
I love the idea of the notepad in the purse. I am going to try that too, what a great memory to hang onto. (and it doesn’t take up a whole box)
My memory jogger. Well I have a bunch of little sketches and pads in my Bible that I would dig out at conferences or meetings when i got bored. I remember certain speakers and friends when I look back at them.
Thanks for asking:)
How sweet that your mom holds on to that notepad. Who would have thought that could be such a cool reminder and memory.
I’ve got a few things tucked away, but nothing organized…
That is awesome that your mom still has that notebook! i would love to see more stuff like that from when I was a kid…do you think our boys will care about that stuff though? I don’t know any guys who care about stuff from when they were kids…makes me think the memories may end up being mostly for me (and perhaps their wives someday)!
That’s so cute that your mom still has that notebook. I have a lot of picture books from my childhood. Some of them aren’t in the best shape, but I just can’t get rid of them.
P.S. I just posted a quiz today about “What’s in Your Handbag?” Too funny you were asking about that in this post. 🙂
What a sweet post. I’m often amazed how connected I am to “things” because of the good memories they conjure. These include:
– A candle holder I bought in AZ on a great trip with Mark
– A small, tie-dyed bean bag frog that sits on my desk at work (from my honeymoon)
– A small basket given to me by my best friend when we bought this house
– Lots of daughter mementos (artwork, clothing, pictures, etc.)
My wallet was a gift from my mom on my 30th birthday, it always makes the transfer even if it doesn’t match the purse.
I totally keep old love letters. Not just the ones from my husband, either. I can’t help it. I love them and their teenage angst-filled lines!
Though I guess you probably knew that since I did a whole post on it! Anyway – I think it’s so cute that she kept it!