We all have stuff. The boxes sitting on the footstool are filled with photographs. I have to sort through them. I had to move them to get at the portrait of my grandmother and her sister so I could move it to the living room. It seemed like a good time to sort through the photos inside. (My pal Julie has a good starting point: if the picture is of a place or a thing, you can throw it away. If it's a picture of someone you love, you can keep it. If it's a TERRIBLE picture of someone you love, you can toss it. This method alone reduced the amount of pictures by at least half. Ask me how I know this.)
In order to HANG the portrait, I had to move the bureau. Well, the bureau is solid maple, and the drawers were filled with... stuff. I could have just put them back in the bureau, but my self assigned task for this year is to go through every single box, bin, closet and drawer and get rid of the stuff I no longer need or use. So I decided to clean out the drawers before I moved the bureau back against the wall.
Getting back to STUFF. I know the boxes above have pictures in them. I knew MOST of what was in the bureau. What I didn't expect was to find a treasure.
I found something really special I didn't even know I had. Didn't even know EXISTED! This picture postcard of Buckingham Palace in London was in the drawers of the bureau. Check out that deckled edge. They don't have postcards like that any more.
In 1962 my father was sent to England as part of the US response to the Cuban Missile Crisis. He left in January (according to my memory) and was gone for about three or four months. My mother was left alone with three kids under seven, and pregnant for a fourth. This is a postcard he sent to me while he was gone. I found it with other postcards for my brothers.
To say I was surprised to find this is an epic understatement. I didn't even know these existed. I was thrilled. My father always sent me cards, for my birthday, for Mother's Day, for Valentine's Day, for Christmas. I'd keep them on the side table for weeks, until finally I'd throw them out. It never occurred to me to keep any. I hope I have some in my stack of stuff. But if I don't, I sure am glad I have this. The cards were all signed, "Love, Dad," but this is a whole lot more than that.
And yes, I called him Daddy.
13 comments:
About 10 years ago my sister found an envelope of 'proofs', tiny little photos from which the desirable ones were chosen to enlarge to normal size. We'd never seen any of them before. They showed me and my sister, around 18 months old, and my brother and mum in our parents bed, the Sunday papers strewn around us. Dad was obviously standing on the end of the bed to take the photos, and Mum was protesting and laughing and hiding her face. It was a snapshot of a family ritual we didn't even remember, and one my Mum didn't think worthy of enlarging. But to us, it was as if our Dad had reached through time and given us a gift. Look, he said, you were so loved. It's wonderful to hold a little piece of love in your hands, from so long ago. I'm glad you found your Dad's postcard, all the more to be treasured because it was a surprise.
What a wonderful find, made more special since he passed away so recently….like a hug from the past. I call mine Daddy as well.
Absolutely priceless!! (I have one letter my dad wrote to me when I went off to college - very formal on his company letterhead (he was a VP) which was "so" his style.)
Like Julie said, priceless.
I've had going though all boxes (and cabinets and closets) in the house on my list of after retirement tasks for 2 1/2 years now. Every now and then one gets opened, when I need to find something, but as to *going though* and moving things out of the house - not so much.
That post card was a great find.
Love the story (and sentiment) of your postcard. I recognised the building straight away, being English, a building I've gone past a few times whilst making journey's through London on my way down south. I've never been inside but watched countless tv programmes about it and it's history and it is open to the public on certain days.
What a priceless find! I collect old postcards from the Adirondacks so I can compare the scenes to now. Sometimes what is written on them is so special.
Oh, that is SUCH a SWEET postcard from your Daddy!! His love is there in every letter. Thank you for sharing a precious memento of your childhood. When you attach it to a piece of cardstock (for your memory collection), be sure to add your explanation of why he was in England. Your son will enjoy seeing this.
(I'm not saying start a new project, just talking about one single postcard that needs a little more information to go along with it.)
I have a postcard my Mum sent to her Dad, who had travelled to New Zealand 2 years before the rest of the family could come.Probably in 1908.!!! It is a treasure, just like your one, what a wonderful, amazing find.And to be signed, " Love, Daddy" is the special part.
I know somewhere among my boxes and drawers are post cards that my grandparents received (and perhaps sent) in the years my grandfather was in foreign service. At the end of my grandfather's life they read and remembered the moments. So no tossing ANYTHING in my house.
Oh, what a wonderful surprise for you! I called my father, Daddy also. Still do when talking about him. I have several letters he wrote to me and enjoy reading them occasionally. Food for the soul. I'm happy for you.
Oh that is so so special......
When thinking of tossing all scenery, etc. Pictures, consider the old cars, old buildings and remember they might not be there anymore. Those photos may be treasured as well.
Post a Comment