JUST AN OLD SHOE BOX
It was just an old shoe box with a pink faded ribbon wrapped around.
The old house was sad and sat strangely quiet…
Ever since momma was called to go home.
It’s like she had just turned loose of living…
Dutifully to follow dad on.
My Brother and I had moved things for hours…
Loading boxes of every shape and size.
It was then I noticed an old shoe box…
Tucked away snugly… almost out of sight.
“Now that’s just great” I thought; “more of mom’s junk!”
“I’ll just toss it on the pile with the rest.”
When it came to hoarding worthless odds and ins…
The kids all knew mom was the best.
I reached and took hold of that old shoe box…
It was on a shelf just about mom’s height.
Wrapped around it was a pink faded ribbon…
A small bow I assumed mom had tied.
I sat down, blew the dust from the top…
These words in a hand-drawn heart I read;
-My little box of Treasures- “Odd” I mused.
“What’s inside?” questioning in my head.
I smiled as I opened that old shoe box…
For the first thing that caught my eye…
Was a small pair of baby shoes...
With a scribbled note stuffed down inside.
I was surprised to see my name written…
On that crinkled note so aged and worn.
It read; “His first pair that he wore”
Mom had dated it the year I was born.
Then I spied an old sympathy card…
Taped to it a tiny lock of blonde hair…
The card read “we’re all sorry for your loss,
we’ll be keeping your family in prayer.”
Then there were a couple of report cards…
Old photos… and a dried up four leaf clover…
A “Be My Valentine” card with a note that said
“I Luv You” … signed “Your secret admirer”
Then I came upon a love letter of dads
It was hand written and penned in red…
I held it up so I could read it better
And this is what it said;
Darling, you are my first true love and best friend…
Can’t wait to marry you… This Fall… after crops are in.
My brother had made his way to the place…
Where I sat… now crying on the floor.
We were amazed at each thing mom had kept…
From our lives many years before.
We laughed out loud … cried and reminisced…
At the marvels that old shoe box revealed…
O’ so many things mom had collected…
Precious memories she lived and relived.
Each had its own unique place in our heart…
Many things sadly we had forgot…
Treasures… trophies… rediscovered by us…
We had found in that old shoe box.
No, it wasn’t junk, as I had supposed…
But true treasures that money couldn’t buy.
Looking heavenward I said; “thank you mom”
As another tear fell from my eye.
Time flew… it was starting to get dark…
The power had already been shut down.
We figured we’d better lock everything up…
Start making our way towards town.
I placed the lid back on that old shoe box…
Gently put the ribbon back in its place.
Took just one more look… locked the doors…
Said “good-bye” to our old home place.
My thoughts still racing… I jumped in the truck…
Then, as we started pulling out the drive…
I said; “hold on, just a minute brother”
As I climbed quickly back outside.
There in the front yard was the ‘For Sale’ sign…
Brother and I had earlier put in place.
I yanked that sign up… threw it in the truck…
with teardrops streaming down my face.
I just sat there looking at my brother…
A moment we’ll not soon forget…
We knew neither of us was ready…
To live with another regret.
As we were riding down that familiar road…
The old home place now fading from view…
Strangely our love for life and family…
From that old shoe box had been renewed.
My eyes glanced down… there clutched tight in my hands…
Was the best treasure I had ever found.
I smiled … “It was just an old shoe box…
With a pink faded ribbon wrapped around.”
It was just an old shoe box with a pink faded ribbon wrapped around.
Written by L C Taylor February 2008