This letter arrived in my mail box recently. I remember writing it, as an eight-year-old, seated at the kitchen table. Crafting the letter, and printing it in my best handwriting, seemed like a lot of hard work. Boyd, the best playmate ever, waited at my elbow, so that we could play as soon as I had finished.
About a year later, thanks to a tip from Papa, Dad secured a job in the town where Grandmother and Papa lived. Grandmother came to help us pack, and make the 350-mile move. As the last item was tucked into the bed of Papa’s truck, Grandmother surveyed our heap of household belongings, and said with a wry smile, “It looks like The Grapes of Wrath.” Grandmother and I became good friends, and that wouldn’t be the last time I heard her use that phrase to describe an expedition.
Beloved Great-grandma, age 90, was the oldest member of our family, and had been a widow for two decades. Months-old-Richard was her youngest great-grandchild when I wrote the letter. Great-grandma had a brother and a grandson also named Richard, and she must have been proud that another Richard would represent the next generation.
I grew up to be much like the little girl that wrote the letter. I love libraries, and read lots of books. Smokey, the gray kitten, was the first of many kittens to warm my heart. I am still learning how to write.
Dad acquired the letter after Grandmother went to live in a nursing home, and forwarded it to me a few weeks ago. Did Grandmother save my letter because she treasured the love I put in it? I hope so. I know that the letter has come full circle, full of love, from Grandmother to me.
what a great memory. it looks like you had a penchant for writing from the start. keep on writing because i really enjoy reading your blog. love, boyd
I love that this letter was preserved all these years. It was indeed a treasure to your grandmother. As a grandmother, I know how special communications from grandchilden are. And, wow, Carol — you were 8 when you wrote this? I agree with Boyd — I really enjoy reading your blog. And I disagree with you — you KNOW how to write; you are merely refining your gift.
Thank you both, Cherrye and Boyd, for your encouragment. I do love to write, and blogging provides an outlet to be creative. But my favorite part of blogging is that I reach out by writing, and people reach back—with ideas, opinions, stories, love, and laughter. Ok, so I’m refining my writing, and practicing on you all. Thanks for reading and for writing!
Carol, I am so glad your grandmother saved this letter and that your dad sent it to you. It holds lots of precious memories and love. I had forgotten that Grandma Maude was around when you were eight years old. I know she was in the Nursing Home in Henrietta when she died and I have a picture of her with Daddy, Laura and me. Laura must have been about 5 years old at that time. Thanks for communicating with us in calls, in person, through e-mails and this blog.
Carol, Old letters are so interesting to see. I’m sure you remember Grandmother Rachel reading letters she received from friends and family. I remember how she folded them up so carefully and put them away in a special place so she could pull them out and read them again later. We can’t do that with email, can we? The advances of modern technology. Speaking of that, the pics of the eagle are incredible. I think you could sell those. See you soon and please keep blogging. I really enjoy it.
I had forgotten about how Grandmother Rachel treated the letters she received, but as soon as I read your description I could see her doing just that. Dad told me that Papa and Grandmother kept up with George and Maude with postcards. He said that they sent and received postcards every couple of days.
Thank you, Ray, for encouraging me to get back to blogging. Sadness over loosing my dogs made writing not so fun. Seeing everyone at Dad’s funeral reminded me that the “advances of modern technology” help us to share slices of our lives, much like postcards and letters. I must say that I enjoy the instant gratification of receiving comments from the “one” letter that I wrote. 🙂