This weekend while visiting my family, my grandma gave me an extraordinary gift. Her wedding dress.
I had tried it on back in December, since she has been sorting through things and figuring out what to do with it. I loved it, and since she was willing to let me alter it I definitely accepted (even though I'm not currently engaged). It is gorgeous. The layers of lace spill over looking delightfully elegant and, dare I say it, vintage.
It made me think about how important it is to pass things down. For some reason we don't seem to do this as often as we used to. Perhaps it's because items are so readily available. Maybe we don't treasure things as people did in the past. But for whatever reason, passing down valuable items with history is not really done.
I want this back. I want to give something old and of value to my children. Something to remind them of the past, to honor it.
To show them.
Monday, May 9, 2011
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Ohhhh Alexis what a wonderful and loving gift!! I agree, we need to pass things on, even if it seems like something that may be unimportant to you they may mean the world to someone else. Case and point ~ we had a friend give us a set of coasters for Christmas a few years back before he died, we have the coasters still and they don't really match a thing in our house, but I love them and use them and think of our friend every day. On your wedding day you will remember your trying on the dress in December and the day your grandmother gave you the dress, and how you felt and how happy you were at that moment, and that even more than the dress is the gift. :)
ReplyDeleteI love having passed-down items from my family members. I wore my great-grandmother's necklace and bracelet set at my wedding, and I cook eggs in her skillet several times a week. It means so much more to know the item you're using was once used by someone you loved.
ReplyDeleteGrandma T. had this little tin cup in her cupboard up on the farm that she kept salt in. It had a bunch of nicks and dents, and I wondered why she kept it, it looked so ratty. She said it came from her very first home after she married Grandpa, before they had electricity or indoor plumbing. Grandpa became very successful in farming and investing, so I guess she kept it to remind her of where she came from. Either that or she just didn't care that it was old and dingy. I now have it in my cupboard, and I treasure that dented tin cup more than you know.
ReplyDeleteIt's a double blessing for me that it fit perfectly plus that you liked it, Alexis. What an honor to have you wear my dress someday.
ReplyDeleteJuly 15th will be Grandpa's and my 44th anniversary. I'm so thankful for the love we continue to share today...several years after I wore that special wedding gown.