In my office I have some bookshelves over my desk. And on them is a variety of things that mean
something special to me. It’s a
hodgepodge of stuff, but it’s my stuff, and it never fails to warm my heart
when I look up there. There is an old
photo of my dad when he was young, crouched with a rifle in his hands. In front of him is his quota of doves for the
day. My dad was a hunter and a
fisherman—and I will forever remember him making flies and bullets in our
family room, stalking a deer, standing in the river at Lemons Camps casting for
white bass. He died in December, so this
month is always a little sad for me because I miss him so much. There’s a picture of Erin and me when she was
about three, taken at my friend Ana’s house.
Next to it is a handwritten note to me from Erin from years ago. It says “I love you, Mommy. X Erin.”
Looking at that picture takes me back to so many sweet memories of Erin
and our precious neighbors when we lived on Gallant Forest in Houston. Another
picture of Erin and me is from my teaching days at Tomball Intermediate. I have three framed pictures of my Buds. We grew up together in Temple, Texas, and we
have been getting together regularly since we were forty years old. They are the wind beneath my wings. I cannot imagine life without them. We have been through so much together. I also have three pictures of my friend,
Denise. She has been my prayer partner
and bestie since I was thirty years old.
We met when both of us were going to the same Sunday school class in
Austin and even though we have lived in different places much of the time we’ve
been friends, we’ve stayed close. There
is a picture of my mom at one of her “sewing club” parties, glass of wine in
hand, big smile on her face. I don't think they ever sewed a thing, but they sure did have fun. I have a
picture of two very little girls sitting on my front porch in Temple. The one of the left is Cathy and the one of
the right is me. Cathy and I have known
each other since we were two or three—and we are still besties. And thanks to Cathy, and Sue, another Bud, I
have a collection of chalk horses from carnivals long ago. I love horses and have since I was a little
girl. My grandparents bought me a
palomino and a Shetland pony, but I only got to ride them when I was in Virginia visiting. Minerals,
shells and fossils also line the shelves.
I have always been fascinated by them, and have collected them off and
on throughout my life. Fossil hunting is
one of my loves. In the corner, bottom
shelf, is a basket full of Beanie Babies that my students gave to me over the
years. One is the Erin bear. There is a beautiful box that a student made
for me years ago, a few knickknacks from Ireland, two framed pages from my
basal reader in first grade, and a trophy my students gave me the last year I
taught. Rounding out the display are two
pictures of my stepdaughter, Mariah, and a framed sign that says “I’m called
MIMI because I’m way too cool to be called grandmother” which was given to me
by my Wendie and her husband, Charles, after their son was born.
Each and every item on these two shelves means something
special to me. It makes my heart happy
to look up there when I am working or passing by. There are so many memories in that collection. Years ago I started keeping a “Happy File” of
letters, notes ,cards, drawings…things that made me happy that others gave to
me. These two shelves are also part of
my happy file. When I am feeling blue,
all I have to do is look in the Happy File and my spirits are lifted, my burden
is lighter, my heart is warmed. I feel
so grateful and blessed when I gaze upon these things. And nestled among them is a card that says
“Friends are the best gift of all.”
That’s certainly true in my life.
If you sometimes have blue spells, sad times, and feeling low, let me
urge you to make a Happy File. It can be
a true file folder full of things that make you smile, or shelves lined with
things that are special to you. When you
start to feel down, just take out that file and go through it. I promise it will help. Try it.
You will be glad you did.
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