1943 Love Lost,Memories Last~

While looking through one of my cedar chests today, for a quilt I wanted to give my daughter Kristy for Christmas, an heirloom from my grandmother.

Sitting in the floor,I gathered lost memories.
I had not thought of my grandfather in years,

I have no memory of him, the war took him from us in 1943.
His photo was in a oval frame in my grandmothers bedroom, black and white in his uniform,he was a handsome man.

I remember granny once sat with me, as she told me of her love and how they met.
She worked in a drugstore, soda fountain girl,in walked this tall lanky boy that made her swoon~ her words.

Love at 1st. site. They were married for a few years,the children came-- then the war began.

As the years passed the letters were all that held them together,

Post cards sent from way across the world from Japan,a silk pillow case in pretty stitching with "All My Love",
Mementos of a life that never lived out its days here on earth.

Old photos of happy times tied with ribbons,

Then the time came when the letters just stopped arriving, she said she waited for the knock,
How can you endure the wait? How do you go on? They came one day, she knew without a word spoken, she would go on without him, her love would wait for her on golden shores.
The letter arrived informal, reading I am sorry to inform you..

Then the brown paper box was delivered..a folded flag, just a name.
Granny said it took her a long time to open that old plain paper box.

Was this all that their was?
Memories~~ December.12.2011 Storming today, the mountain is smokey with haze, piddling in the house, cleaning our home office dusting the memories LaMarr has on his shelves. 2 grandfathers and a father served in the war, dusting these treasures makes you feel the presence of these men~ A grandfather that never came home from the war. All that remains is his memory~ The purple heart.

The letters tied with tattered ribbons,

Memories on the dresser,granddads old pocket watch,the glass cracked and worn.

a key that once opened the door to his farm..a silver framed photo of long ago..

it must have been winter, the flower boxes are empty...the land barren..I see an old mason jar by the doorway,

Wonder what it was used for.

Great Granddads Navy hat from World War 1

Memories last a lifetime, 3 American Flags sit on these shelves, all from men that loved and served our country, 1 a prisoner of war,1 that never came home, 1 that loved his country dearly till the day he died.

When I lay my hand on these old flags,there is a sadness but also a proud feeling that touches my soul.

Weeks passed another brown paper box from the United States Army.

Grand Dad's Purple Heart.

He lived and died for his country.
She still wished for the man she fell in love with till the day she died...no one never took his place~