Things I've kept for sentimental value

I understand. I have my grandma's flour sifter. I have used it only once but every time I look at it the memories are there. I have my mom's cookbook that I remember her using. I use it still. It's almost as old as I am.

On 7/28/2014 kdgn said:

I understand. I have my grandma's flour sifter. I have used it only once but every time I look at it the memories are there. I have my mom's cookbook that I remember her using. I use it still. It's almost as old as I am.

When i got married my grandmother gave me a cookbook that her grandmother had given to her when she got married. It is, without a doubt, the best source of information ! It is so much more than just recipes - all kinds of information about how to cook things and menus and how to do things for a party and how to set formal and informal tables. I have used it so much it is , literally, falling apart. But then it is 94 years old.

I feel exactly the same way. I was recently gifted a broken rolling pin that belonged to my great grandmother. My great aunt (who gave it to me) said it was the only one she ever saw her mother use, and she has no idea how it got broken. I have yet to use it, but I will, and I think of them both every time I see it. I have some hand made quilts (just beautiful) and afghans that my grandmother made, and I love to use them, look at the fine stitching, and remember seeing her create such wonderful things.

We aren't supposed to be attached to "things", and I'm not attached to expensive things, but the everyday things that have come down from those I love, I am very attached to.

I have kept many things because of sentimental value, most of which are on display somewhere in my house. There is one item, though, that just hangs in a closet and gets taken out once in a while when I need to reconnect. It's the maroon jacket my father wore every Christmas day. I can't bring myself to give it away. Sometimes I just like to take it out and give it a hug as I picture my dear father wearing it.

I have spoons that are worn down on one side from hitting the side of mixing bowls. I have the striped mixing bowls too. They were my great grandmothers. I don't use them.

I have a simple wooden desk that was the only Christmas present my grandmother and her two sisters received during World War I. I keep my stationary and ribbons and bows for gift wrapping in it.

I have a Tiffany dinner ring a client gave my great aunt as a gift when she retired from the beauty salon at the Ritz Carlton. I rarely wear it, but someone always notices it and I love telling them about my beautiful aunt and her life on this earth.

I talk about her and her sisters almost every day in some way. I miss them still all these years later.

Most of what my mother left that was of any dollar value went to my 3 older sisters and that was by agreement with all 4 of us. What I kept was only a couple things she used to wear regularly and that to me has more value than any amount of $$$$.

I sometimes wear (around the house) a couple of my mom's sweaters. Very comforting.

I have kept some of my Grandmas aprons too - they are all very worn thin but I can almost see her wearing them making fantastic meals in her tiny kitchen.