A little box of treasures.....

My mama usually calls before she visits, so when she just stopped by one afternoon my first thoughts at seeing her car in the drive were of worry and fear that she likely had unhappy news to share. But my worry turned instantly to wonder in excitement as she lifted her arms to pass me the little box she’d been holding and told me, “I have a little box of treasures for you...”

And what a little box of treasures it was!

Treasures, for real!!! I had no idea this much beautiful was tucked away and patiently waiting for me...

The little things my mom had saved for me; little things I knew from as far back as I could remember, little things that bring back memories and feelings of life when it was simple and a kiss and a cuddle healed every hurt. I didn't know my mom had kept these treasures for me, but how grateful I am that she did and also to know that my important memories were ones that she obviously shared with me enough to save them for so many years.


My heart did an actual flip-flop with joy the instant I opened my little box of treasures and found myself face to illustrated-face with my all-time story book heroine, Amelia Bedelia! Oh, how I absolutely LOVED Amelia Bedelia and the hilarity she brought to life in doing her very best to follow directions exactly! Thank you, Peggy Parish, for sharing Amelia Bedelia with the world. And thank you, Mom, for sharing Amelia Bedelia with ME... at least three million times, or more I'm sure! I think maybe my greatest treasure in life was being read to as a kiddo and though I am sure that reading me the same story over and again got old quick, I love that my mom never tried to talk me into a different book but continued to read again and again as though it were the first time we were reading the book... every time. And make fun of me if you will, but I will happily admit that as I again sat and read that little and worn book, I couldn't help but to belly-giggle my way through just like I remember doing almost forty years ago curled up on my mamas lap!

I found nothing but pure delight in every Amelia Bedelia adventure but my FOREVER
favourite was the one on the right, simply titled Amelia Bedelia...



And, who would have guessed but my FOREVER favourite part still remains this
towel change page... as I found while dissolving into giggles reading it to my boys!



It''s A Small World After All...

And then I spied the music box I don't remember ever being without... my earliest memories hold this little music box. When 'night-night time' came each evening, storybook time was always first up followed by a few Charlie Farquharson's Bible Stories on my old plastic record player (which I also still have tucked away) before my mom would quietly come back into the room I shared with my sister to turn off the record player and wind up this music box to help wind us fully down to sleep. It still works and plays... just like I remember.








Aaaaaaand she kept the marbles I loved so much!!!!! I honestly don't know what it is about marbles.... could be just the fact that I feel like I'm losing mine..... but I seriously and completely LOVE marbles. From the time I was old enough to be trusted not to choke on marbles, I had to have marbles. I'm not sure I actually knew the rules of playing marbles but I was always pretty good at making up games with them. Mostly I liked to hold them and sort them and make designs with them and look through them and appreciate them. And now, because my mama kept them, I can keep on appreciating the marbles of my heart! Pure awwwwwesomeness!!!


There were other treasured memories wrapped and waiting beneath for me in that little box of treasures but I won't bore you with them all! We all have treasures that mean to us, that with just a touch can bring back times we maybe thought lost. For me, the truest treasure of life is simply in sharing kindness and gentleness but there are some 'things' to be treasured as well, I'm finding... because those 'things' are connected sharings. I got to share those books with my mom. I got to share that old music box with my sister. I got to share those marbles with my sister, my brother and my friends. And that really is what I'm all about... sharing!

Do you have a little treasure box of your own stashed away somewhere safe? A little treasure box that you can open up and feel the memories come back to you when hold in your hands the treasures within?