Friday, March 4, 2011

A Keepsake Letter



There is a story behind this card today...one of those times when the story is much bigger than the card, actually.
As most of you know, my Grandmother, Odell Gray, passed away on February 7. I had the assignment of planning her memorial service, and part of that was providing an obituary. I realized how very little I knew of this woman who had lived for almost a century...and making a few phone calls to my Mom from the funeral home didn't help with any details. I went home that day thinking sadly to myself, that we have an entire legacy lost from this era...as no one in my family could recall any details of her life. I had only been around my grandmother as a young child, and then again in the last few years, and because of her being deaf and refusing to wear a hearing aid, communication with her was very limited.
Then there was the difficulty of Mom, being confined to the nursing home for the previous three months and declining health, as well as I am sure the shock and grief upon her...well, there just wasn't much information to go on.
A few days later, I was at my Grand mom's home, and helping my Dad find some important documents and pictures, we discovered three albums of pictures, and I took them back to my Dad's.  Later that evening, as I was thumbing through an old album, this letter was creased between the pages. It was a letter my Mom had given her mother in 2002. And in the letter lie all the details of this woman's life, summed up in four handwritten pages penned by her daughter...from her beginnings with my Grandad starting up a small farm in East Texas to moves they had made necessitated by hardship, and woven throughout the words were a picture of my Grand mom and her life that I had not had before.
I was able to read the letter written by my Mom at Grand mom's memorial service, all four pages without tears. At the end though, my Mom praised her Mother for all of her character qualities, and listed them all...generous, kind, a heart that was so big and yet safe to keep secrets, and a treasured friend.  And I am thankful to say my Mom has been all these to me, and more , since I was at the age of six and went with my brother to live permanently with my Dad and his new bride.
Over and over again since reading this letter, I have felt God's goodness toward our family to provide this at just the right time, and have been thanking Him for that. But it has also reminded me to send a letter to a loved one along with a card...especially at birthdays or Mother's or Father's Day...because even after the memory fades and confusion sets in, those words can be a balm of healing and restoration to the soul.
This card was made with a Flourishes image given to me by a sweet friend this year.  I embossed the image in white and then outlined it with a copic marker just slightly darker than the paper. I made a vellum strip with the words, "Just Because."
This will be  a card containing a letter to my Mom...
thanks for stopping in today...blessings on your day!

13 comments:

  1. Traci reading this touched my heart. I am in awe you found that letter and the fact that God placed that letter in those photos for you to find at a later date is wonderful. Just reaffirms he is always here for us. I am sure the service was lovely and getting through a letter without crying is not something I could do. Thank you for sharing this with me today, I know you have it posted for everyone but it really touched me today! Big hugs...
    Now for your card I adore the fact that you embossed these flowers. Beautiful and soothing in elegance!

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  2. Traci, this is such a beautiful story. And I agree with Stacy, that God brought that letter to you at just the right time and you found out about her story. And how beautiful now that you are passing that along in a letter to your mom.

    Blessings on you today Traci....a beautiful card.

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  3. Sister, how beautifully the Father provides. Your story is touching, and the Hand of the Savior is all over this sweet project. Bless your heart. LYMI

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  4. Okay..now I am crying. As you know my dad gave me a handwritten letter for my birthday.. I know this was a God thing for you to find this Traci. What a special keepsake you have. I am happy to think this may have brought you comfort during a difficult time. I am currently designing the funeral programs for my step mom's mom who has terminal cancer. It has been so hard to think of her planning her own service but it is going to be so special.. Huge hugs my friend. I know this was a tough thing you went through..

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  5. beautiful cards, beautiful letter and very beautiful memories!

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  6. Oh, how wonderful, Traci! I feel very touched by your post and your beautiful card. The documentation contained in that letter is priceless, and it reminds me how much more valuable a letter is than an email. I still have a letter written to me by my mother many years ago. She's passed on now, but that letter captures her essence beautifully. She talks about the squirrels and birds in her front yard. The picture is so vivid, and I'll always have her voice in that letter.

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  7. Beautiful card and a beautiful story! I'm so glad God blessed you with the treasured gift of a written legacy. WOW! It all just brought tears to my eyes. How very difficult the last several months have been for you. I think of you so often and always whisper a prayer when you come to mind.

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  8. Traci,

    What an emotional story and to be able to share the letter with everyone is so wonderful. I'm sure this has been a difficult time for you.

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  9. Traci that's beautiful! I am so glad to read that you found that letter, what a treasure! And you made a lovely holder for your own letter that you are sending to your mom. Thanks for sharing this personal story.

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  10. Awww.....what a heartfelt post Traci.....what timing to find that letter.....this is most definately a very touching message you left.....a wonderful thing!

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  11. Tracie, this is a beautiful story. It's a reminder to all of us on how important it is to get our story out their for our children. I'm so happy you found that letter. Take care. God bless you.

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  12. Traci.....you have left me with happy tears.....tears not of loss, but of cherished memories rekindled by that long lost letter...what a gift that was to you and to your grandmother.....a true blessing in your time of trials and tribulations.....sending you blessings, though.....with your wonderful relationship with your mom, you are already blessed

    hugs, my friend

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  13. Firstly, your card is simply beautiful, really beautiful. Your story here is very special too. What a great find. One of my most special memories from my aged caring days was when a client with dementia had read out to me her 'memoires' she had written down years earlier. I'm not sure how I'd go with writing something about my mother, but I'm sure shes still got some of my letters written to her from me not long after I moved out of home. Glad you found this treasure.

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