Years ago I sorted through my godmother's effects. I found one sheet of manuscript written in Russian. The only word I could comprehend was "prayer." The next time I visited my grandmother I showed her the prayer. Her eyes rolled to heaven.
"My mother wrote this!" She explained that Prababushka had written out prayers for people going through difficult times. She had evidently written this one for my godmother, her daughter-in-law.
My grandmother was grateful to have this new memento of her mother, now dead thirty years.
Part II
Yesterday I sorted through the coat closet, including the old fur coat. With its seams splitting it's unwearable, but the fur is so fine to stroke! My sister and I used to sneak into the closet just to rub our palms on it.
I tried offering the coat to my sister but for some reason she didn't want it. Maybe because she lives in Texas.
Then I remembered that one of my mother's dear friends had given the coat to my mother. The friend had died. So I called her daughter, my own friend with whom I had been out of touch for years.
"You may not want your mother's old coat, but perhaps your daughter would, for the memory of her grandmother."
I couldn't understand my friend's joy until she explained to me that all her mother's possessions had been caught up in probate, My friend had nothing except a few pieces of jewelry.
I wasted no time in shipping the coat to her. I only wish I had called her earlier so that the coat would be there by Christmas.
Who would ever dream that possessions one respects and appreciates could be, to the right person, treasures? Being able to send that coat was the best Christmas present possible--to me.
Merry Christmas and best wishes for a healthy and peaceful new year.
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