Tuesday, March 15, 2011

Now for the good stuff - sorting, selling, giving away

Well, we have been back for about 10 days now and we have been busy with the following:

Sorting, Labeling, Getting Ready for the Yard Sale


More Boxes, Books, "Stuff"


While going through some of my boxes, I found a box of stuff from when I spent the summer of 1978 in France.  One of the things that I was really happy to find were the letters that I received from my mother that summer.  I was in a summer school program in France and we sent 2 weeks in Nime (in southern France), 2 weeks in Paris, and 2 weeks in Colmar (in eastern France).  In order for my mother to send me letters, she had to send them to a certain location before a certain date in order for the mail to be there when we arrived. 

Unfortunately, my mom passed away in 1994 and I had forgotten about the letters that she had sent to me.  So it was like getting a little present from her without her being around to send it to me.  Isn't God good?  I'm not sure what my mom would say if she knew about our plans to move to Ecuador.  I know that she would want us to be happy in whatever we decide to do.  I remember when I went to France for that summer, I think she was a little bit envious because I think she would have liked to go to Europe, but my dad had no desire to go, so she never got to go. 

Ever since my mom passed away, whenever a friend loses a parent, especially a mom, I usually tell them, "you will reallly miss her at the weirdest times.  You think you will really miss her on Mother's Day, her birthday, or the holidays.  But what you will find is that you will miss her when you least expect it.  A song will come on that will remind you of her.  Or you will smell something that reminds you of her."  And I also tell them, "just allow yourself to grieve her whenever that happens."  Finding those letters allowed me to grieve her and miss her again.  But I am kind of glad that I didn't find them until now because now I realize how precious they are and I will not just throw them away.  

Sorry to get so sentimental on you, but for those of you who read this and your mom is still alive, call her today and tell her that you love her. 

2 comments:

  1. I know what you mean. My mom passed away last week, and I find myself missing her every time I read a funny story on the Internet. (She never owned a computer, so I always passed those stories along over the phone.) I catch myself thinking how much she'll enjoy this item the next time I call, only to remember that I can't do that anymore. :-(

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  2. Those two pictures look like my basement! How fun to find those letters from your Mom. I know what you mean about missing your Mom. It is the strangest feeling in the world to not have your parents around any more. I miss both of mine so much. When is the big yard sale?

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