Finding Treasure
here are times in your life that you find treasure unexpectedly. You have no idea that you’re about to walk into a treasure cache, but amazingly, there it is.
I recognize that treasure comes in many forms for different people. For me, though, connections to happy times in my childhood are my found treasures.
Those days before I went to live with my Evil Mother were the most normal of my childhood. I was loved, cherished, and felt safe and valued. I thank God/Goddess that I had those formative 7 years with Grammy and Papa to help me know what children should feel. So earlier this year, when I visited my cousin Cookie’s house, I went into her den and found this picture of us two:
My heart spasmed. For a moment, it all came back: running up and down Prospect Avenue in the Bronx while Grammy and Papa toiled in their dry cleaners. Getting popsicles at Miss Tillman’s and sitting on the stoop letting the cherry run down our hands in the summer heat. Remembering the time that you defied Papa and crossed the driveway way down the block and suddenly, as if by radar/telepathy, he was right behind you. His West Indian accent jarring your bladder loose as he called your name and sharply told you that you were in trouble for venturing farther than you were allowed. Yet you knew that you had done wrong and Papa only sought to protect you. How many times had you run into the shop to tell him that some boy had touched you and he would follow you back outside to find the transgressor, shaking his wooden stick he used to reach the clothes on the high rack, saying “Don’t touch my granddaughter!” You stood there feeling smug and all of 5 years old knowing that he and Grammy loved you more than life itself.
The image faded and I found the words to ask Cookie where the picture had come from. She and I are third or forth cousins, so we don’t see each other often. Yet we did grow up together in New York City.
“I found it in one of Mom’s albums,” she replied. I then begged her to send it to me to have it restored. After a little forgetfulness on her part, yesterday my treasure arrived.
I’m going to add it to the few treasures I have already found and restored. Here are a few that I will share with you.
Papa and Me
Me (right), my best friend Bertha (left) and her cousin
Me and Auntie M on Easter Sunday
Me and Grammy
Oh the treasure you can find when you least expect it!
i love these. look at you miss fashion trendy kiddo!!
jjs last blog post..Easter 2009 with the Mischiefmakers
This is just lovely.
OmegaMoms last blog post..Thrusting and heaving
Awww so sweet, and reminds me of how you dress Z in fashionable stuff. Awesome that you got those treasures!
You were a real little Easter fashonista. You make me want to get those old pictures that I have that my grandmother gave me and
have them restored as I said I would. There are so few pictures of me as a child. And I am
a twin. Now if I could just remember where I put them.
Oh, I love those pictures. Treasure, indeed.
I absolutely ADORE these pictures! I love the care in which you were dressed, the way your grammy and papa were dressed. I think people really took more pride in the way they looked backed then. Your papa looks so impressive in his hat.
Deathstars last blog post..Survived the weekend
what amazing photos and a great story! thanks for sharing.
lunas last blog post..empowering acts
[...] luna says, “what amazing photos and a great story! thanks for sharing. lunas last blog post..empowering acts?… [...]
Oh my! what a cutie you were! And that smile – which you still have.