Every possession had to be dealt with. The hardest were the ones that had been most beloved by their mother. Her photos: Family, Dad, things she wanted to paint some day. Her needlework: Hours of laborious cross stitch, crochet, sewing. Her numerous cookbooks and drawers full of recipes clipped from many sources.
Her paints and tools for painting. They reflected her love of color, of flowers, of seasons. The paintings would never make her rich or famous, but they reflected her joy in living.
She treasured everything she kept. Most of it had to be tossed.
Just Writing! 
Sorting through a relative’s possessions is painful
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Indeed.
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I love your story …I sense the gentleness, love and caring of a woman who loved her family and her life. Although we never met, you made it possible to visualize her paintings, look into her box of photos that span many years and seeing the carefully clipped recipes that resulted in many delights for her loved ones. Beautiful.
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Thank you so much. What a kind and thoughtful response.
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Dear Linda,
How ironic. The big square palette is among a mountain of art supplies I bought from a woman having to sell her mother’s paints, etc. She had only the best and I didn’t get hurt on the deal. Some pretty amazing stuff. Although I know it was painful for the daughter. Your story reflects the prompt in the most perfect way. Hard choices. Well done.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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Thanks, Rochelle. It’s a tough thing to go through.
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I know it well, Linda. I think all of us of a certain age do sooner or later.
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Last week I went to an artist’s home to buy supplies as was quitting everything. I was puzzled. She was younger than I. Her water color supplies were mediocre for a pro, then she confessed that she had called her former students first and gave them first dibs. He claim was, “not enough time.”
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That’s sad. Somewhere along the line, she lost her passion.
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The collected possessions of a lifetime. Touching scene Linda
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Thanks 🙂
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It is awful, but I think true for a lot of us. I’m assuming most of my treasures will quickly become trash…
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I know what you mean. All my pretty teapots and dolls :(. Well, at least they’re well-loved as long as I’m still here.
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How well I know. 😉
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Death is always painful and having to part with tangible reminders inevitably makes it even worse
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It’s amazing how attached to things we as humans can be. What a tough job for the protagonist.
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That would have been so hard to do. But let go she must. Lovely, sentimental piece, Linda.
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My brother and I are currently sorting through our mother’s things, she passed away last month. It’s amazing what we’ve found, from lacemaking bobbins to long-forgotten photos. What to keep and what should go is so difficult.
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No matter how old we are when our parents go, it’s always too soon. I’m sorry for your loss, Keith, and I pray that going through her things may bring wonderful memories for you and your brother.
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Thank you Linda.
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So sorry about that, Keith. My condolences.
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This is such a universal story. Well told, deeply felt.
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Thanks, Bill, for your affirming words.
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The fear a lot of us have. What is precious to us seldom doesn’t mean anything to someone else. Nobody wants my treasures after I pass.
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I hope some of my children and grandchildren will at least want a memento of some kind. The thing is, we are so wealthy in America that there is really very little we need.
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It is so sad when treasures one has stored up for so many years are discarded.
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Yes, but most of us already have too much stuff. There’s just no more room!
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That really is the most unenviable of tasks – sorting through the objects that have been part of someone else’s life. You captured that.
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Not a fun task at all. I imagine my boys going through my stuff when my time comes and I can’t help but imagine them saying, huh, who knew Mom did this stuff?
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Sad, a very painful process.
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most of the stuff that we keep are of no value to others. it’s only fair that they be discarded when we’re gone.
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When my mom had to move to a nursing home, she was watching my sister and a couple of friends pack up what she would need. As the tears rolled down her face, she said, “You’re throwing my life away. Could you wait until I’m in my new place before you finish?”
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I’ve been through this recently and it as you describe. It’s impossible to discard those things kept for sentimental reasons.
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That is very well said. It’s such a sad reality. The things one’s life boils down to, so important to them, are inconsequential to others.
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This is an interesting story, and so true, you wrote it well. I often wonder what it will be like when my daughters have to toss my stuff.
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I keep thinking I’m going to clear out a lot so they won’t have to. Haven’t done too well so far 🙂
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Oh a sad one too. Beloved memories
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