When my maternal grandmother died back in 1969 I was surprised by the chest full of keepsakes she had kept. Her keepsakes were not just mementos of special times in her life. She also kept newspaper clippings, poetry and quotations. My mother left a legacy of similar keepsakes. I was not surprised to find many of hers were neatly glued into a scrapbook. When I was in high school my mother gave my twin sister and me scrapbooks to keep our mementos of our high school activities. I have followed in their footsteps. My scrapbooks are filled with clippings from magazines of cottage decor, landscaping ideas and of course adventures and dreams.
Every few years I go through my scrapbooks and files that hold all my treasures and destroy those that no longer hold special meaning to me. Last week while cleaning out an old file cabinet I came across a letter from my niece, Jessie. The letter was written when she was in grade school. She is now a busy mother with a daughter about the same age as she was when the letter was written. I had kept the letter with the intentions of giving it to her when she was an adult. I still plan to give her the letter but I can't find it in my heart to give it to her yet. There is something very special about this letter written in her childish handwriting to her "Dear Anut Lou". The letter is now yellowed with age and ragged on the edges from being read many times and then folded and put back in storage. Every time I read her note I reminiscence about the little mischievous blond who was loved so much. When she was a toddler her mother put her in a beauty pageant. The whole family was in a uproar when she didn't win. We were all convinced the prize went to a child whose parents had money. The judges couldn't have been that blind to miss this crescent moon eyed baby's beauty.
No, the cherished letter will remain here with her "Anut Lou" for a few more years. I've decided it deserves a better home than a dark dingy file and have transferred it to a picutre frame so that everyone can enjoy it. Thanks for the memories, Jessie. I love you.
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