But I experienced death from a strange angle this week. Four big bins of clothes were donated for the next Kindness Yard Sale (coming in September). They were given to me by a friend, but they were not her clothes. They were clothes taken from a house where the owner died, and the home was being cleaned out.
I suspected to find “old lady” blouses and blankets, but instead the bins were filled with really pretty, stylish ladies’ clothing. I think the clothes were from the daughter of the deceased, not the woman who died. I took them out piece and piece and admired them as I put them into the washing machine. I hung load after load of clean, fresh, cute clothes.
Then I opened the dryer after starting a load of winter items. I already knew the girl whose clothes there were was very athletic from other loads – soccer and tennis shirt, workout attire… And the winter attire confirmed that – snowboarding and ski stuff. But I was surprised when I opened the dryer to see a little round nut-like object. As I picked it up, I realized it was an ACORN. By the time the load had finished I found 2 more – all perfectly shaped, delicate little acorns.
I enjoyed imagining why they were important to her – special enough to pick up. Did she find them on a perfect ski run – swooshing down a black run, pausing to rest and there they were popping out of the snow? Did she sit down on top of the mountain with her best friend to eat a sandwich from her backpack and the acorns were next to her? It must have been some special moment she wanted to remember.
And money – I accidentally washed and dried 5 one-dollar bills that were in her coat pocket.
Finding the treasures, especially the acorns, made me think of all of the treasures I squirrel away in my life. Rocks from special beaches. Shells. Postcards. Dried flowers. Tea cups… All things that mean something important to me and bring back memories of places and events I want to hold in my heart forever, but when I die, if a stranger were to find them they would not understand the significance.
So, instead of throwing away all of her acorns I have decided to keep one. I will add it to my treasures to serve as a reminder that death is imminent, and that collecting magical treasures while we are here can bring joy. No, you “can’t take it with you,” but if an acorn (or a shell, or a rock…) can remind you to enjoy life today, then by golly pick up the acorn.
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