Memories

Call me a rebel, but I'm not going to follow this prompt in exactness.

A few weeks ago, I was going through some jewelry and picking out a few things to get rid of. When my grandma passed away, I was given some of her necklaces. Nothing fancy - just some things she had collected through her Kohl's addiction (oh how my grandma loved Kohl's!)

There were a couple of my grandma's necklaces that I haven't worn, and they don't really "go" with any of my clothes, so I decided to give them away. I felt a little guilty because they were my grandma's necklaces, but at the same time, I don't really attach myself to things in that way. I worry about getting rid of sentimental stuff because someone else might be upset about it, but I keep very few tangible items for sentimental value.

I’ve realized that what is important to me about a person who has passed away is not the things that belonged to them, but the memories that I have recorded through photos and writing. Their photos and their journals are great, too, but I especially cherish what I have written or photographed. Not because I'm the superior writer or photographer or anything like that but because any memory I've written down is mine and represents something I shared personally with that individual.

Recently I was perusing one of my journals, and I found an entry where I had written about both my grandpas after they'd passed away. My journal brought back thoughts and experiences I’d forgotten. Re-reading that was worth more to me than any physical belongings of theirs I could have had.

So what I'd really like to express gratitude for isn't a memory, but the memories that have been preserved through writing and photographs. They are pure treasures!