My Mom (far right) and my sisters.
Most everyone has a shoe box tucked away brimming with crisp letters that they cherish. With all our e-mailing and Facebook messaging I hope we don’t forget to occasionally send an honest-to-goodness letter on stationery – something that can be stumbled upon years later.
Going through an old book this week I found a note from my mother tucked between the pages, and it was everything you hope to find in a discovery of correspondence past. Sure, it reflected on a significant event, but more importantly it sounded like her. No one else (with the possible exceptions of my cousins Cindy and Lori) would write with such heartfelt conviction.
If I could only keep one letter from my mother, it would be this one (unless she writes me an even better one someday).
(Dated, summer of my senior year) Friday, 2:03 a.m.
Regina precious,
I have (several times) asked my lovely daughters to please put their make-up, hair appliances, gunk and misc. away after they use it, but so far no one has heeded their dear mother. So, Thursday I put it all in a trash bag and was going to keep it for a while.
However, due to my getting to bed very late – or actually early morning – and my earnest desire to sleep late, and knowing your lively temperament and conscientiousness in getting to your job on time, I have reconsidered. If you are missing anything (and you are) it is most likely in the trash bag beneath the sink in your bathroom. If, when you are through with it, you put it away it won’t be put back into the trash bag to be held ransom.
Please humor your loving and deserving mother by cleaning up after yourself and letting her sleep late.
I love you immensely!
Sincerely, etc.,
Mommie
—That’s a treasure! How about you? Do you have a favorite letter you’ve held on to over the years?
That’s classic. I do have an old letter that I wrote to the tooth fairy where I asked her to also leave some money for my sister who was four years older than me. I wonder who came up with that brilliant idea?
That is a fantastic letter. Did it work? Maybe I’ll try that with my girls.
I have a letter that my dad wrote me about a month after I went across the country to college. I’d never received a letter from him, and so when I saw his distinctive handwriting on the envelope, I was sure that something terrible had happened to my mother! But he was just telling me how much he missed me and that he loved me. It still chokes me up to think about it.
I have kept all the lettters, cards, and notes I’ve received from my grandma over the years. I love all of them, and couldn’t possibly pick just one.
Julie – As an older sister, I applaud her efforts. 🙂
Stephanie – That is so sweet. I’m glad you kept it. Makes me think I need to write more letters to my kids…and ask their daddy to, also. (And yes it did work. How could I forget a request like that?)
Rebecca – Aren’t good grandparents a blessing? So glad you have those memories.
What? You didn’t wear make-up or hair spray! What in the world did she hold ransom of yours??? the book you were reading instead of brushing? 🙂
Love you and what a great mom we have!
You’re right. I was probably blamed for your and Becky’s messes…as usual.
And I don’t know what she meant by my “lively temperament”. Obviously she was thinking of someone else.
Love that Sara! I have a letter from my mom I found in a picture frame she gave me when I moved in the dorms for the first time. It’s a keeper!