PASSING ON A HERITAGE

When my mom passed away a little over a year ago it was a time of sadness for our family. It was hard for me to think of what we would be doing with the home we grew up in, at the time. So I didn’t think about it...I missed my mom.

We did nothing at first. My brother had lived there and had cared for my parents over many years. Having to make any decisions, could be put off he could stay there and take care of the house. It was a blessing.

A new journey began though...after almost 60 years of being occupied by our family, that time would be coming to an end.

This was the only home I had known in my youth.

To move on we knew we needed to clear it out, divide treasured items, useful items, and as we did this we shared memories together.

While we were clearing it out, I looked at some of the things my mother or father had written down, some were just notes or comments, things they underlined, while others were thoughts.

Also, we noticed what wasn’t written down, so we have photos with no names.

Looking at what they saved also gave a better picture of the character of my parents, e.g. poems, sayings, front pages of newspapers in the past,

and notes about my dad’s or mother’s relative owning some treasured piece of furniture or china.

The house has sold and it is cleared out now.

I have been inside the home of my youth, probably for the last time.

This has been a time to contemplate...what will I leave my children?