I finally understand why mom kept every card by her bedside.
By Edwin Pabon
My mother passed away recently.
One thing she absolutely loved was getting mail.
Over the years, family members would visit from different places
and bring postcards from their travels. Birthday cards would arrive.
Christmas cards would arrive. Photos from relatives overseas would
find their way to her little corner of the world here in Cuenca.
Beside her bed was a stand filled with those treasures.
Cards from family.
Pictures of grandchildren.
Postcards from places she had never seen but felt connected to
through the people she loved.
Sometimes the wrapping paper itself was so beautiful that
she couldn’t bear to throw it away. She carefully folded it
and saved it with the rest of her collection.
Whenever we took family photos, she would often position herself
so that her display could be seen in the background.
It wasn’t decoration to her. It was family.
It was love.
Now she’s gone, but many of those cards, photos,
and keepsakes remain.
Every now and then, especially around the holidays
or when certain family members visit,
we will pull them out and look through them again.
The funny thing is that they’re just pieces of paper.
But somehow they’re not.
They’re memories you can hold in your hands.
I’d like to think she will still smile when we bring out her collection
and share the stories behind each piece.
What are some of your memories of receiving letters, cards, postcards,
or special deliveries from family?
Do you have anything you’ve kept all these years
because it meant too much to throw away?
Please share? I get so busy I forget the important things
and need to get back to earth.
Edwin, edwinpabon1226@gmail.com
City: Cuenca
