Treasured

When I first read the theme "treasures" I knew I had plenty of things to talk about - quilts, special furniture, carvings, paintings, children's drawings... I have so many beautiful things that members of my family have made for me - handmade, with love, that are more treasured than anything money can buy. I use them or admire them everyday.

But then there are those things we cherish that have somehow gotten tossed in a box somewhere and long forgotten. Just today I was working on cleaning out my basement. So it seemed timely to talk about the things I was finding down there. It's times like this, when choosing what to keep and what to toss, that we really have to put a value on things - what do we truly treasure? What holds special memories, what are the things that might someday be important to your child even if they aren't now? Do we keep those things? (I'm glad my mom kept my special childhood treasures).
I have so many things stored in my basement - things dating back from my college years; my early years of marriage; keepsakes from Taylor's childhood, the clothes she used to wear, the toys she used to play with and stuffed animals she cuddled, drawings from her childhood and artwork from her highschool years. I hold these things dear, but I can not keep it all.
As you can probably guess, I didn't make much progress because I got sidetracked reliving the memories. It's hard to know what to do with all of it. Do I hang on to it because Taylor will one day want them? Do I toss it or use it? One box I found stored some things I had made - one of the first usable blankets I had ever woven and a crib quilt I had made for Taylor before she was born. I was glad to find this box. So thankful that the moths had not eaten it up, I took the weaving out and brought it upstairs. Of course treasures should be cared for and protected but what good are they stored in a box deep in the basement? I think I'll use the blanket for now. I'll take care of it and maybe one day Taylor will treasure it - use it in her home - not store it in a box in her basement with moth balls. But one thing that will be stored away again - and more carefully labeled this time – is the baby quilt, along with Taylor's favorite stuffed animal - Mutsy, a dog she carried with her everywhere she went. Some things you can't use any longer but you just can't part with it either.