Thankfulness 2013, Part Six: Object

[kidsmoke]

I know it's just "stuff", and you can't take it with you & all that, but sometimes material objects hold a special place in our hearts for what they represent or the memories they conjure up. Choose one item that is dear to you, whatever it may be.

 

For me, it's my dad's beloved white baseball cap. Dad passed away last December 22nd, and although I inherited some things of greater value, it is this hat that I treasure most. He wore it constantly. It is decorated with a big "paratrooper" patch, and another for the 503rd Airborne unit, which retook the island of Corregidor from the Japanese in WWII. Dad was very proud of his service, and would regale anyone who would listen with his stories from the jump on Corregidor & other adventures in the Pacific Theatre. Over the years his hat collected various pins representing his service and the paratrooper reunions he loved to attend, until the whole front of the hat was filled with patches and pins.  All I have to do is glance at that hat and I can hear Dad's voice, telling one of his amazing stories.

 

And now I'm all teary-eyed. The missing does get easier...until you try to write something like this. But I'm so thankful that I have this hat that was so precious to Dad. Not to mention how thankful I am that he was my dad. But that's a different thread.

 

 

 

What object do you prize and feel grateful to have?

[SarahC]

The guitar my Papaw made for me. Even though it doesn't have strings on it right now, and I seldom ever play it, it was the 1st really guitar I had, and Papaw built it with his own 2 hands (and several electric saws). He painted a rose near the sound hole and painted my name across the head stock. I played it and played it and played it until it became ragged and unglued at parts. Even though it doesn't look like a Gibson it sounds amazing- it's rosewood mostly I think, and the fact that he made it special for me means a lot. He also made me a fiddle when I was born that I have even though I can't play it. He made all 3 of his grand kids fiddles when they were born and when we turned 21 he gave them to all of us. Those things are irreplaceable and special to me, and I guess more than the objects themselves it means most that my Papaw made them.

[Doug C]

My dad's pocket watch. He was born in 1906 and was 57 when I was born, 22 years older than my mom. He died when I was 15. When I was graduating from high school, my mom gave me his pocket watch. I was very excited, honored and humbled because I knew the story behind it. Before my dad's senior year, his dad told him that my dad had to quit school to work full-time on the farm because his younger brothers were too young and his older brothers were gone. My dad wanted to graduate and refused. My grandpa (it always feels weird calling him that as I have no memories of him and from what I heard he wasn't the nicest man) kicked my dad out for being defiant. My dad was able to stay in school and graduate on his own. As graduation time neared, his mom, at a risk to herself, had my Uncle Aubrey gradually steal chickens from her husband. She used the money from them to buy my dad an engraved pocket watch for his graduation. That was in 1924. It seems so strange that I'm only 50 but my dad's been dead for 35 years. I still miss him.

 

The watch symbolizes how important an education is. I look forward to giving it to my grandson when the time comes.

 

Thanks for these threads, Donna. I've enjoyed them.

[kidsmoke]

I'm really enjoying them, too. A lot of very moving posts have been made, like yours and Sarah's. 

 

One last Thankfulness thread tomorrow. Thanks for taking part, everybody!

[anthony]

My SCGC D-12

[Guest Don Draper]

I have a Hoover WindTunnelMax that I bought for about $160 at Target.  Beats my parents' Dyson at 1/5 the cost.  Stupid, but I love my vacuum.

[Radiant Witch Face]

Ipad 2

[Fritz]

My guitar. Actually it's a friend's which is on long term loan but I've written a bunch of songs on it. It's been very good to me so far.