Wednesday, April 28, 2010

THE LITTLE THINGS


Both my grandmother and my great grandmother ALWAYS carried a handkerchief in their purse. They were pretty little things with flowers, butterflies and other lovely things on them. I was gifted many of these beautiful treasures growing up, most of which were never used (just looked pretty in my purse) and some that never made it out of the boxes.
We were talking the other day about getting rid of a lot of the junk that we have been hauling around with us over the years and never use. That night I thought of that little grouping of beautiful hankies (term used back then). I wondered where they were and if I would ever see them again if we started tossing old stuff out. A little panic went through me that one of the family, not knowing that my grandmothers had given them to me and that to me they were special, would simply toss them.
Saturday, we went to storage and the first box my daughter-in-law handed me, she said, "Look and see if there is anything in here you really want to keep." To my amazement, there they were all together, folded as neatly as they would have been in my purse. I am not sure what I will do with these memorable little pieces of cloth, maybe quilts for my grandchildren, but I never thought I would be so happy to see embroidered squares in my life.
Suddenly it occurred to me that it was not the beautiful little squares that were important at all, but the memories they held for me of my grandmothers and the love with which they gave these articles to me that made them important. It is my hope that I can teach that kind of love with the little things in life to the grandchildren God has blessed me with!

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