Reminders From the Past

Have you ever looked at something, heard something or experienced something that ushered in a flood of memories? While visiting family on our recent holiday I was reminded that in my brother’s attic was a box of “artifacts.” The box was full of personal mementos that were stored under my name following our mother’s passing seven years ago. Each member of the family had their box of mementos! I sorted through my box to see what I might be able to take with me on my flight home. Somehow and somewhere I found room in my suitcase to squeeze in a number of items but the rocking chair would definitely have to wait and the large picture of the Lord’s Supper became a present to my sister!

Arriving back in Bermuda I proceeded to look through my box of memories. My mother kept everything that we as children had given her (mom’s love to do that sort of thing). I remember the picture of lilies at the foot of a cross that I drew and colored for her over 50 years ago. There were the postcards I had sent her when I visited China back in 1988. I never knew she kept the postcards! What’s this? There was a picture of mom and I standing at the front of her house. I was dressed in my military uniform which meant that it was taken in the early 80’s when I was doing officer’s training while serving as a Padre with the Calgary Highlanders. The training had taken place at Camp Aldershot located in the Valley area of Nova Scotia. Alongside this picture was one of my uncle who was also in uniform having served during the second world war. Pictures can bring back a thousand memories! I reached for a picture of a big tall man standing next to a little boy. Wow, that was me and the big guy beside me was my dad! Besides the pictures there was a window reflector that said Peace on it a gift that I had given mom many years ago. I could go on but I’ll restrain myself. What did I do with these keepsakes? Did I toss them out? Did I store them in a box? No! The pictures are on my shelf in the office located in our home and on the widow is the Peace in Jerusalem reflector! The rocking chair and an old picture frame remain in my brother’s attic in Nova Scotia. I will pick them up when it is time to relocate back to Canada.

It is very difficult to dismiss things that have a story attached to them. Look around you and see everything that speaks of Christmas. Allow the lights to remind you of the brightness of the angelic chorus in the night’s sky. What about the carols don’t they speak of the excited chatter of the shepherds and wisemen who marveled at the gift before them? What about the boxes wrapped so beautifully, do they remind you of someone else’s gifts; gold, frankincense and myrrh? Then, there is the manger scene and that reminds me that God still offers the gift of his Son as the Savior of the world. It’s hard to throw things away especially the precious things that speak to us and remind us of another’s love.