A Box Full of Memories

my life, family and friendsOctober 6, 2010Comments: 2

Today I marked one more thing off my list of stuff to take care of while up here in Wisconsin. I cleared out my gramma’s old safety deposit box. She’d had the box ever since I could remember and emptying it was like one more affirmation that she was indeed gone.

I had no idea what was inside the box, but I knew it had to be stuff that she treasured.

The first thing I pulled out was a folded certificate. Opening it, I saw it was my gramma’s naturalization certificate. She was born in Prague, in the Czech Republic, but she told me she was always proud of the day she became an American citizen.

And here I was, face to face with the piece of paper that said she was finally an American. On it was a photo of her smiling face staring back at me. A photo taken just five years before I came into this world.

I bawled.

Not just sniffles or a mild cry, but pure “I can’t breathe” sobbing.

I think I’m going to make a shadowbox with that certificate and maybe a set of jewelry that I remember that gramma loved so much.

But it still doesn’t seem right somehow that I should’ve been going through this box without her. Even though I swear I felt her with me while I was doing it.

Now I just have the storage area to do. I already did a good amount of sorting before I filled the storage unit, but now I’m really going to go through and keep just the bare minimum.  I don’t know if emotionally I’m ready for it, but it has to be done. Thankfully I’ll have some friends helping me. Especially since I can’t do much heavy lifting yet.

Today just took a lot out of me. More than I expected.

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About zengrrl

I'm Michelle Snow, the writer and creator of Zengrrl. I write about travel, entertainment, women's issues, health, body positivity, and more, both for this blog and freelance. I have also authored/co-authored four guidebooks on Orlando and Florida. If you aren't already following me, the links are below, as well as on the top right of this page. Thanks!

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Comments: 2

  1. Monica October 21, 2010 at 10:06 am

    It’s amazing what impact have some people over us, and the grandparents always have a great and good impact over their grandchildren. I don’t wanna imagine what you felt when you open the box. Last year I was in my parents house and we decided to go where my father was born. In the house I found a chest with some of my granny stuff and between was also her wedding shoes, I was stoned.

  2. Jeff Wetherington October 7, 2010 at 9:16 am

    Sending hugs to you 🙂