Among her things were pins and broaches and watches...but I am most interested in these stamps and decorations from the bottom of her jewelry box.
No doubt childhood me peeked into this box over those early years and perhaps that's why the silver leaves feel familiar? What I didn't notice then was how prominently my grandfather's photo was featured among her treasures and keepsakes. Of course it was. He died 25 years before she did, but even childhood me knew they were smitten with each other.
I suspect these items are connected to missing him, loving him. From letters they wrote to each other? Silver leaves from an anniversary party? They wrote letters whenever they were apart, especially during WW2. And they also loved a good party.
Philosopher Jane Bennet might say these things are not waste, not simply what is left over after a life, but instead possessing their own power: they are vibrant matter. Bennett's philosophy aims to promote more responsible and ethical human engagement with our world. It's easy to see how her position relates to resource recovery and environmental stewardship, but she also speaks to the interconnectedness between ourselves and so many many things. That makes sense to me.
For some, these items may not conjure much curiosity, but to me they are my grandmother's stories, ones I will never know but can somehow imagine. We all know the power of stories; sometimes that power comes from the things we touch, we see, we linger over, the things hidden in books and boxes and bags and pockets and desk drawers, and the memories they evoke...vibrant matter indeed.
Dear friends, what things, what tokens might tell your stories?
...things can be addictive, most of us have too many of them!
ReplyDeleteAgreed.
DeleteA lot of "things" I have because I like them also have no sentimental value and are easily parted with, these days. I possess MANY items and photos that belonged to my ancestors and I care what happens to them after I'm gone, but I sometimes wonder if I've ascribed too much meaning to them. Perhaps they were only of as much importance to their original owners as some of my stuff is to me: not much. This idea is helping me let go and not suffer the chagrin of fearing that someday they may be picked up at a yard sale and no one will know anything about their story. Meanwhile I cherish them only because I know who they belonged to. -Kate
ReplyDeleteI too think a lot about these things.
DeleteI have a box where I keep odd things, like a mask from the pandemic, the tooth of a grandson, swimming report cards, stuff like that. Someone can sort it out when I die:) It'll give them something to do instead of just bitching about me.
ReplyDeleteIsn't it interesting what we hold on to?
DeleteWe all have our little boxes of inexplicable treasures, don't we? Soul tokens.
ReplyDeleteWell said.
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