A Little Robe

If you were young in the 1970s you may have had something similar to this little robe my grandmother made for me for Christmas one year. My sisters had similar ones. Somewhere in our mother's old photographs there's a picture of us all wearing our new robes posing for a picture on the sofa. It's a good memory. I treasure the simple fact that I can hold a piece of family history in my hands. It's one of only a few things I have of hers and I treasure it because it seems to somehow keep her memory alive for me. Several times I've thought, "What on earth am I going to do with this old robe? Maybe I should use if for rags or donate it to a thrift shop." But that kind of action never seems to prevail for one who is nostalgic for special things that remain from the past. I suspect I'll have this little robe forever and with it I'll forever cherish the memory of my grandmother lovingly creating a piece of our family's legacy with her hands.

Another Barn

This sweet little barn was built by my husband's uncle, a Quaker farmer who lived and farmed in a small rural community in southwest Idaho. The barn stands perched on a hill overlooking what was once a thriving little farm yard and house. While in dire need of repair, it still serves as a reminder that what we build in this life will remain for others to admire and appreciate long after we are gone. I was almost out of sunlight when the photo was taken but luckily just enough light was left to capture yet another story.

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There's something about old barns that just makes me yearn for stories of the past, for things that are no longer visible but still ever present within our beings. The barn pictured above is from my family's farm in Oregon's beautiful Willamette Valley built in the late 1800's. It serves as a constant reminder and symbol that people go through this world but the things that they build and put their heart and soul and sweat into outlast their finite number of days on this earth. The places where we live and grow become the essence of who we are. These are the places where our imprints upon this earth remain long after we are gone. What a great thought to ponder!