A house unchanged , a house totally changed. I have time, lots of time to sort through a lifetime of possessions and I move at the speed of one with a long, lazy road before her. There is no hurry to eradicate the past, to decide what is important and not. No hurry, yet it begins to happen naturally, and what is important surprises. Of all the items piled in the corner of the table the largest is the size of a saltine cracker.
The worry stone Hannah slipped quietly into my hand as the memorial service began. “Hold this, Ahmaw, ” my granddaughter said, “It will keep you calm.”
His wallet. You have to open these things that have always been a place you do not go. But you are there–a tiny picture from long ago.
His wedding ring. So it was the third in a line of replacements, the others lost who knows where.
The ubiquitous golf balls.
Oh yeah, and the Mile High Club pin.
A N H I N G A 
Since I can’t come up with words that feel right, I’ll leave you this:
*Hugs*
Small tanglibles to hold in your hand while keeping the true treasures in your heart.
Bless your sweet granddaughter.
She is also one of the tangible reminders that love goes on, even in loss.
My heart goes out to you.
I still have the hat that Jerry gave me… the one that he always wore. I can’t remember the name of it but I remember he knew the guy that made them. I told him one time in Hilton Head how much I liked it and he had me one made. I wear it a lot in the summer when I cut grass. I call it my Jerry hat 🙂
Robin & Leakelley – Thanks so much for the hugs and wise words.
Martha: You could not have anything that was more a part of his image than that hat. I didn’t know he gave you one. You are definitely in the club. 🙂
My precious aunt-Hannah, so young, so wise. These items other than the golf ball would make for a wonderful charm bracelet. I hve two other very dear friends that also have had the love of their lives move on, in both cases one seven years, the clothes and other personnels remain in their home. Anything that remains and gives you comfort their is no timeline on their removal. Whatever comforts your heart I know you hold dear. The picture in Jerry’s wallet, another testimant of the incredible love he had for you.
Hannah is so wise and compassionate for one so young. I know she gets that from you and Jerry.
Sending you smiles and hugs.
Sorting through a lifetime of possessions is always filled with emotions, whatever the reason for the sorting.
I know you will make it a worthy journey, one that sustains you while you travel in the midst of it.
Just a sprinkling of words here, but in your subtle way more love and grief and strength is expressed here then a tidal wave could convey.
You really know how to make me cry.
Your sister,
Etta
Etta – I think you are the master of that. Remember I cried so loudly throughout your wedding that you couldn’t hear the preacher? 🙂
Yeah, that should have told me something. LOL
I thought I was supposed to be the one in the family with the strong premonitions. LOL