As you'll hear in my latest podcast at anchor.fm/adropinthecloud, there were many times where I didn't always understand my grandma and her way of life. It wasn't until her passing where I gained more appreciation for our shared history and how I might one day take on her characteristics. I reference a poem that I wrote many years ago and will include it at the end of this post. It wasn't until these quarantine times where the progression I made in the poem truly came full circle.
And for those wondering, the thread in the picture is actually one of her boxes.
Give the podcast a listen and then come back and read this poem:
Inside the Boxes
Another Sunday afternoon around the table
Plates of homemade cookies, cups of tea
We’d see the clock and say, “My, how it’s getting late”
I think it’s time we head out on our way
But she’d open up the closet where she kept everything she owned
Neatly packed in boxes piled high
There’s some things we had to see
She called it some emergency
But we knew she couldn’t say goodbye
So, down came the boxes from the shelf
Filled with little pieces of herself
She’d say, “Here’s when I was younger, just a child, you know.”
“Here’s when I grew older, had some children of my own.”
“Here I was a baby, and here I was a wife”
We’d take a look inside the box and take a look inside her life
She’d say, “Here’s when I was younger, just a child, you know.”
“Here’s when I grew older, had some children of my own.”
“Here I was a baby, and here I was a wife”
We’d take a look inside the box and take a look inside her life
Another Sunday afternoon around the table
Packages of cookies, bottled drinks
We’re spinning memories of all she used to be
We never thought we’d have to say such things
We never thought we’d have to say such things
But we opened up the closet where we kept everything she owned
Neatly packed in boxes piled high
There’s some things we had to do
We had to get them sorted through
“Cause we knew it’s time to say goodbye
So, down came the boxes from the shelf
Filled with little pieces of ourselves
‘Cause that one when she was younger
Had no thoughts of what was near
That she would soon grow older breathing life to all us here
Everything she treasured from a child to a wife
We’ll take a look inside the box and take a look inside our life
Oh, I never liked those boxes very much back then
From the hours spent reliving time and time again
And those photographs she cut always made me cry
But today I think it’s time, today I think I’m gonna try
But today I think it’s time, today I think I’m gonna try
So, down come the boxes from the shelf
Filled with little pieces of myself
‘Cause that one when she was younger looks a bit like me
And that one when she grew older is how I someday just might be
History unravels showing more than meets the eye
I’ll take a look inside the box and take a look inside my life
