Memorabilia Grounds Us in the Stories of Our Lives

Do you remember any childhood birthday presents that were particularly special to you?

Perhaps you have that gift tucked away somewhere…or birthday cards from years ago…or mementos from birthday parties. Many of us are sentimental and hold onto such things.

The gift that delighted me more than any was the pink banana seat bicycle I was given for my 8th birthday. One thing that made the gift so special to me was the card my family gave me that day, created by my Dad but signed by everyone (including the pets, of course). I thought that was the neatest drawing of my cool new bike!  I loved riding that bike, especially during summer bike tag when I was a little older. 

Reflecting on the birthday card brings back fond memories of the house at the nature center where we lived at the time, the treehouse Dad built, the smell of freshly cut grass, summer days spent exploring in the woods, the chocolate cake I devoured with ice cream after my birthday dinner.

I found the card when cleaning out my scrapbooks in recent years; it was one of the few items I refused to feed the recycling bin. I don’t lean too far toward the sentimental, keeping lots of keepsakes, but I’m glad I kept this card. 

Memorabilia grounds us in the stories of our lives, reminding us of special times and people. You don’t have to keep it all; many find that taking pictures serves the purpose of preservation well, given our digital age. But especially when space is tight, you might find that keeping it all doesn’t serve you well.  Listen to your heart; perhaps you’ll be able to give thanks for the memories and let the stuff go. Perhaps not.

Another special gift was my Teddy bear, which my mother presented to me on my third birthday. In my mind’s eye I can still see her bending down to where I sat on the floor by my bedroom door, handing me a green and blue Strawbridge & Clothier bag (from Philadelphia) that held Teddy. What special gift do you remember, and do you still have it?