Monday, November 7, 2016

The Card

My grandmother died when I was nine. She lived her last few years with us when she was bedridden and my mother provided round-the-clock nursing care for her. Not an easy job with four young children and a husband working a lot of overtime.

We, kids, all had jobs to help with my grandmother. My older sisters had much more responsibility than I did and helped with some of the nursing care.  Since I was younger, I got more of the comfort care jobs. I would brush my grandmother's hair or crawl in bed with her and rub her back. She said I was better medicine for her than anything the doctors could come up with. I was proud of that and enjoyed spending this close time with her.

Then one day in third grade I came home with a headache and a fever. Soon there were spots all over me. I had the measles. The big measles we called them because they lasted two weeks sometimes, and mine did. During this time, I had to stay upstairs away from my grandmother's room downstairs. She was much too weak to handle something like getting the measles. While I was sick, my mother would deliver messages to me from my grandmother and I would send messages back. One day, my mother brought a card to me from my grandmother. It was a get well card with a rabbit on the front against a blue background. She wrote me a letter inside and told me how much she missed me. I loved getting the card and have treasured it ever since.

However, somewhere along the way, it got lost. I've always been a bit sad about that although I told myself that the memory of it was what was really important. Then a few days ago while going through papers to pack, I found it! I was elated. It was stuck between some other papers in box of mementos from my high school days.

You know, they say that when you move, you will for sure lose something. Well, this time I found something. Something very important to me. And I am very happy about that.

(Unfortunately, I packed the card away before I could take a picture of it.)


17 comments:

  1. Awwww, what a wonderful story. I'm so happy for you.

    I had a similar experience a few years ago. I was going through a box of old stuff when I happened upon a little doggy chew toy that had belonged to my childhood dog, Tippy. It overwhelmed me with emotion and I sat there holding the chew toy and crying for about 20 minutes before I could move on. I still have it - in a little box full of special pet mementos.

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    1. We have had several sentimental moments as we go though things, especially things from when the boys were little. However, last night we found a picture of Lucy (our cat who died last year) and that was pretty emotional, too. Pets are definitely part of the family.

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  2. So happy for you that in a time of upheaval, you found something to ground you. :)

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    1. This whole house thing has been pretty stressful (some because of my personality), and I am really happy to have these moments like finding the card.

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  3. Yay! Such a great story and I'm so glad you found your card :o)

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  4. I am so glad you found that special card from your grandmother. It wasn't lost, at all, just waiting for the right moment to be re-discovered. :)

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    1. I wonder what else is just waiting for the right time to be discovered?

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    2. What a beautiful thought, Bless!

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  5. What a wonderful thing to find! I am guessing that you will never misplace it again!

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    1. I hope I never misplace it again, but if I do, I will know that it will be waiting to be found again at the right time. :)

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  6. What a wonderful post. I am glad you found the card but more importantly I love the memories attached to it.

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    1. It was pretty stressful living with a very sick person in the house, so this card that reminds me of the good times was especially important to me.

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  7. That's one of those moments, totally unexpected - from out of the blue - that have such a great impact on the rest of our day. And, it's having a connection again to a beloved family member who has been gone for so long, and, then, there they are, right back with us, however fleeting. Great story.

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  8. What a beautiful memory and treasure to find.

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    1. I have a few other things that I haven't seen in a long time, but the card is the best so far.

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What do you think?