This idea has been troublesome for me. God even placed a uniquely essential story of how our earthly things will not matter in death or in heaven. However, I do materials that mean a lot to me.
Right before Papaw Freddy died he came down with this cross necklace, dad got the same envelope so there was one exactly like that down here, but he brought it down here to give me. That necklace may be a cheaply made one, but Papaw brought it to me only a few months before he passed away.
For the life of me I wore that necklace religiously, I don’t really like that word but for lack of another one I’ll use it this time. Several necklaces have been broken wearing that cross. Therefore I don’t wear it anymore and ironically the same thing has happened with another pretty cross of Grandma Rosie’s.
I miss wearing a cross. Not only did it show my respect for the cross, but it reminds me of why I am a Christian. The examples of grandparents living out their faith was meaningful for me at such a young age. There are other materials goods like the letters I am still amazed I have of my other side of the family.
Reading through these messages at how much Papaw’s correspondence with his girlfriend meant to him has been a wonderful glimpse to see. Not only that, but the fact that Papaw Leo’s letters were mentioning going to Church services and reading in his Bible along with his many closing terms of endearment directed toward his lady.
As a historian it’s hard for me to not put emotions in objects, even this week, talking about auctioning their house gave me a panic attack. Thinking about not having this house within our family selling it to someone we don’t know scares the jeezers out of me. Fortunately, on my mom’s side we have family to inherit the house so we won’t ever lose it. God-willing. I still feel my connections to my grandparents and to those children we used to be a million years ago. The new generation of great-grandchildren have all seen and been in the house whether or not my grandparents were there or not.
Yet… I do know my memories will last in my mind and my heart until I am united again with those loved ones… in time.
Jewells of Thought 
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