January 28, 1891
Dear Miss Ridgeway,
Remember me and bear in mind a
True young friend is hard to find
But if you find one good and true
Change not the old one for the new.
Your true and every loving friend
Montie Cannady
A most recent eBay treasure is a most fabulous autograph book from 1891. Only a small portion of the pages are signed, but each with the loving and painfully perfect script of young writers to what appears to be to their departing teacher, who seems to be leaving perhaps to marry. Reading them - like ghost words on a page - bring back the memories of a long ago time, an era of refinement, when with pen in hand you put your thoughts to page. Each page of this aging record of thoughts and wishes, contains young prose and a marvelous Victorian scrap piece pasted to the page with great care and show of fondness.
I sit here looking out the window at the empty winter branches of the trees that surround my home, thinking of Spring to come, knowing that I still have a bit of wait. I’m anxious for Spring this year. I think I need the signs of new life. I feel bleak today, like the branch with one hanging leaf clinging on although the life from it is long gone.
I play many roles in my life, an Army Mom of a son, who will deploy on his fourth mission in the coming week; a caregiver for an aging parent as well as a chronically ill partner; one of millions struggling in today’s economy –
and then I remind myself, I have other roles as well – an incredibly proud and blessed Mom to a marvelous son, Aunt to a nephew and niece expecting their second miracle baby, sister to the best sister ever, best friend, and good friend to my circle of farmgirl sisters.
So today I will run my errands, be sure Mom is doing better, and go up to the craft studio and work on my organizing opportunity (if you saw my before pictures, you know it's more than just an opportunity HA!), craft a bit, and in the solace of my workspace, remind myself of my many, many blessings.
'til next time,
Stormy
No comments:
Post a Comment