Post Cards, Tea Sets and Apple Crisp

It’s hard to believe another year is nearly over. As I look around, I still see little reminders of my mom, things I’ve been trying to decide what to do with.

Finding Meaning in the Things We Keep

There’s the old tea set that’s seen better days. I wrote about it last spring when I got it, polished it up, and wondered what to do next. Now I’m realizing it might be time to bless someone else with it. (You can read more about it here: Whose Tea Set Was This Anyway?)

Then there’s the bundle of postcards, some of which I believe were from my grandmother, Rose Behnke, simply because she loved the pictures. Many were written to my mom by friends in the 1950s. They don’t take up much space, but I still find myself asking: do I need to keep them? Or are they stressing me out each time I walk by?

Balancing the Past with the Present

This past weekend, I took a day to sort through them all, looking on eBay, seeing that there are people who collect these old postcards. But the weekend wasn’t just about sorting and decision-making. We also got to see all four of our grandkids in costume on Halloween! And my granddaughter Zoe helped me make the most delicious apple crisp. That girl loves to bake!

Between the tea set, the postcards, and the crisp apple smell in the kitchen, I’ve been reminded that letting go doesn’t always feel tidy, but it often opens up space for joy. Maybe it is time to let go of the guilt I feel each time I give something of Mom’s away?

As the days of November slip on by and we move toward Thanksgiving, I’m thinking about all of that: the messy, the meaningful, the inherited, the earned.

I hope you and your family have a safe, happy, and cozy Thanksgiving.