WHAT WOULD YOU PUT INTO YOUR SECRET BOX?

Tuff question will have to think on it.






ps - is there a size limit?

Letter from Uncle Milan, my father's friend, who wrote to me when I was four or five, explaining to me why my father is in prison, why my neighbor poisons cats, and why despite all of that the world is a wonderful place.

Family Geneology book, pictures of my children, anniversary ring hubby gave me, cookbook with notations by Nana (who willed me the cook book--all the family women hate me! HAHA!), Mother's Day cards made by my children when they were tiny, letter from my son when he was sixteen for Mother's Day saying how glad he was that we were so close, and how glad he was that I was his mom... Priceless. It has been out on my dresser for three years.

dag--
Why did your neighbor poison cats?

The card I saved which was attached to a vase of flowers my parents sent me to tell me they were proud of me (I won't go into detail why).

A cheap necklace my grandmother bought me when I was 10. It was 9ct gold with heart-shaped links all around. It was the first time I believed I was really loved.

The picture my Dad took of me sitting on the potty with a soother in my gob, a straw hat on my head, and an umbrella and some sort of book in my arms. Apparently he had to load me with stuff to get me to sit on the thing at all!

The knitted suit my mother made for me when I was five. It was a jumper (sweater) and skirt and I loved it. I wore it until it developed holes cried when it was given away.

My grandfathers false teeth. Now that seems weird I know, but he used to make me laugh when he would take them out and make weird faces or try to give me a toothless kiss! God I adored that man!

Cards my son has made me. Special pictures and letters from family and close friends.

What a wonderful question, Mapleleaf.

Let's see....

I once wrote a little essay on my yellow things. If I can find it I'll repost it here since all of the yellow things would be in the secret box.

I would breathe in the memories of a jade ring and a tiger eye ring since I no longer have the actual objects.

The scar on my back.

The cat whisker and dog tooth that are in my current secret box.

The zip disk archives of my family photos that currently rest in my fire safe.

Some handwriting of people I loved.

A whisper.

A kiss.

So many things.....

My "Yellow essay" turned out to be pretty easy to find. Here it is:

Today while sorting through some of Little Mo's stuff to pass on to a new baby I had to decide what to keep for my treasure chest.

The answer was clear - the yellow gown.

The yellow gown came from a stay in the hospital when he was a tiny five weeks old. Every one of those long six days I would watch him sleep in his soft yellow gown. I lean close and whisper encouraging words. I'd think about the other babies that might have worn that same small yellow gown. I'd think about how insane and fragile life is. I'd pray that we'd all survive this time. When he got to leave the hospital I took home that little yellow gown as a reminder of what to hold dear.

Today the yellow gown was freshly washed, wrapped in paper and laid to rest next to my memento of my father - his yellow sweater. The yellow sweater that he wore on that Valentines Day before Alzheimer's stole me from him forever. My grandmothers cup, faded over these 90 years so to only suggest yellow, lies among these treasures, a relic from her hard and motherless childhood, the object that she carried with her into an softer life.

They say that yellow is the color of Gods, of sunshine and delight, of concentration; that yellow is the color of clarity and wisdom, that it stimulates curiosity, increases awareness and is related to the ability to percieve and understand.

I believe these things about yellow.

Precious thoughts... from the soul, I suspect.

Lots of secrets - lots of boxes. I save almost everything. but there is one secret in a secret place that my 11 year old grandson and I share. He has kept it our secret, and the whole fact and act has become very precious to me.

I have boxes of things from the time my kids were born, and my father's pen-knife, and my furniture is the sofa I grew up with, plus Grandma's chair. My past lives with me.

I also saved the telegram my older daughter sent me one day, saying "well, they only kept me overnight," but that's another story.

Mama
You just reminded me of some things I have to remember my father, such as his watch, a letter I wrote him, his favorite pen, etc...

Unlike mamaj. I don't have any secret boxes or anything secret to put into a box. I'm what you call an Open Book kind of guy. c.i.

Same here Cicerone. I just have lots of sentimental stuff around the house somewhere.

Excellent thread!

I've just read this and can't begin to explain how moved and touched I was by some of the stories.

Each little item touches on a personal memory and fires my imagination and emotions

It's only 9:20 and this thread has already made my day, I'm dumb struck, thanks for sharing.

Thanks Dek.

The picture of my father making a "mouse" out of a handkerchief. The letter my mother sent me to tell me that she respects me as an adult. The drawings my nephew made when he was tiny. The pearl ring from my grandmother that I've never worn. The little plastic bag I have with some of Jake's fur. The award I got from my sorority. The first flower Mr. Jespah ever gave me. Beach glass from Cape Cod.

I guess I'm the same as CI and Montana, I have little things round my house, a photo of a much respected, loved and dearly missed grandfather, a "starwars" rock from a holiday with close friends, coins from a trip around Europe, a toy car given to me by my mother.

My real box is inside me, it contains all my memories, feelings and regrets. The look on my Grandads face when he was on his death bed as I walked into his room and his final words to me while were still alone (I've never told anyone that the moment even existed before let alone the words, I'm crying now just thinking about it). My first kiss. My last kiss. Making my parents happy. Making them proud. My secrets.

I'm a very "for the moment" kind of person so I don't open the box all that often, but they are the things that I won't ever forget, they've shaped my life so far and will always continue to do so.


What strikes me the most about reading this thread is that I'm still so very young (28 if you are wondering) and I know that as I get older I'll accumulate some very special treasure. I look forward (with a certain amount of fear and trepidation) to finding out what those items are going to be, but more importantly the reason for keeping them.

Dek,
I can tell you are going to add a lot to the A2K stew...glad you are with us.

Thanks Mapleleaf, you'll be glad to hear that I'm only just getting warmed up