Positively Splendid {Crafts, Sewing, Recipes and Home Decor}

Handcrafted. Splendidly.

Legacy

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Last week, I received an envelope in the mail (the tangible, 3D mail!) that was such a precious surprise: a hand-written note from my grandpa, whom I call Pop, with a folded card tucked inside from what seems like a lifetime ago.


At first glance, this card might seem to most to be something of little consequence: Five brightly colored balloons drawn in colored pencil alongside letter stickers with wishes for a happy birthday, displayed on folded ream paper from my family’s old dot matrix printer. (Remember having to tear off all of those perforated edges?) Inside the card, a hand-written note, in the somewhat haphazard penmanship of my elementary school days:

We love you!
Best wishes for your birthday!
How old are you again?
My attempt at sarcasm at the tender age of 9. 😉

Love ya!
Amy


As I sat staring at the little card the other day, I have to admit that I felt tears streaming down my face. Not out of sadness, mind you, but out of the profoundness of something that touched me to my core and struck me as immensely meaningful:

After twenty-some-odd years, my grandpa had kept that little note, tucked away as a memento of a time gone by. 

I can picture him happening upon it every now and then throughout the passing years, the way his eyes would shine and a sparkle of a smile would spread over his face as he held a tangible connection to the the little girl who used to bound through his door, bow-head bobbing, ready for another adventure at Pop and Mammo’s house. He would probably examine the handwriting, wondering how it could be possible that the little girl who had penned that note could now be raising children of her own.

Friends, I want to tell you something today, something very, very important: 
The things we make matter. 

Sure, not every one of our creative endeavors will stand the test of time. But be assured that there are some things we make – even things as seemingly insignificant as a handmade card – that will be kept, that will be cherished. 

No matter your medium – be it paper or fabric, wood or canvas, paint or ink – be proud that your craft, your talent, is something that will leave a legacy. Something that will make a mark.

Thank you, Pop, for teaching me yet another valuable lesson!

Pop and me, ca. 1983

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Comments

  2. Katie {Sweet Rose Studio} says

    I love this post Amy. First, your grandpa is seriously amazing for keeping something as simple as a birthday card like that for all of these years. I also like the sentiment behind your post: What we make matters. On days when I struggle with new material for my blog, I always try to remind myself that it’s about quality, not quantity and your message echoes the same idea. I hope that all of thehandmade things that I’ve created for my family and friends are cherished even half as much as your sweet birthday card was. 🙂

  4. Margaux at YoungNesters says

    What lovely sentiment! I am currently working on organizing boxes and boxes of childhood memorabilia that my mom saved for me and dumped in my lap as soon as I had a house of my own to store it, ha! But it really has been so sweet finding treasure after treasure.