Remembering Grandma

Sorry I have been missing in action. My husband's grandfather passed away. This caused an unexpected trip to New York for the funeral. When we returned, there was one full week's worth of laundry to do. I typically only do one load per day. So a week's worth felt daunting. Then there was helping my 5th grader catch up on his homework. Reading the mail that arrived while we were gone. All of those things you would do when returning from a business trip or vacation away for a week. It is times like these when I am so happy we live the simple life. Schoolwork and laundry are not anything to fret over. And one week after returning we have caught up on everything.

But I have become side tracked before even beginning my reason for writing today. While I was in New York I was asked to look at some of my husband's late grandmother's jewelry. Being moderately minimalist, I don't wear a lot of jewelry. I wear my wedding/ engagement ring and earrings. Though I rarely change my earrings. I usually wear the same studs day in and day out, only changing them for special occasions. All of my jewelry fits into a tiny jewelry box. This is one of the things that frustrates my husband about me. He says it isn't any fun buying me nice things because I don't love things. So buying a ring or necklace for our anniversary will only work if there is some sort of sentimental purpose behind it, such as my necklace with my kids' birthstones.

Women each have a very unique style of their own. It is rare that women would choose the same clothes, the same shoes, the same jewelry. Stores know this and offer a great variety. And as I looked through her jewelry, I couldn't help but think that, while it was pretty, most of it was not my style. She loved birds, and had a bird necklace, so I took that because it reminded me of her. There were several pairs of pearl earrings, so I also took one of those. And oddly, she had very small fingers like I do, size 4. So I took a few rings. My husband's aunt was looking through it all with me and commented on the bag. She said she would never store her jewelry that way. I smiled, because I would. How perfect! Here I had been looking at all of her jewelry when the perfect keepsake to remember her was the jewelry bag itself. I love it. It has her initials monogrammed on it. Whenever I touch it I think about how she would have held it in her hands as she got ready to go out. It is sentimental, but also so practical, which I love.

We strive to be minimalists. We don't strive to be nothingists. I feel at peace about choosing a material thing to remember someone by. But that thing doesn't have to be a knick knack that needs dusted. It doesn't have to be an entire bookcase of things that each have sentimental value. The truth is that most of our memories live in our hearts. A picture or material thing may bring that memory back to the surface. But it doesn't help you hear their laugh or feel their soft skin. Those memories live on in our hearts. So I don't feel guilty about not taking a lot of material things. It doesn't mean I didn't love that person. It doesn't mean that their stuff wasn't bringing joy and beauty to their lives. It means that we know what brings joy and beauty to our lives and those are the only things we are surrounding ourselves with. I am already enjoying her jewelry bag.

How have you remembered the special people in your life? Do you have something that every time you look at it brings back sweet memories of a loved one?