Yesterday, I received an unexpected package in the mail. I ripped it open to find my favorite little blue cup. This wasn’t just your ordinary cup. This little cup is a handmade pottery cup I found at a garage sale 25 years ago. This cup became my all-time favorite cup to sip tea and coffee out of. I loved everything about it…..the way it felt, the way it looked and the memories that soon began to grow with the little cup. The cup spent countless early mornings and late evenings with me as I raised three babies. The cup saw much joy and wonder in my gardens, as I walked quietly through the early morning beauty. The cup shared my most precious moments with family and cherished friendships. This cup was more than just a blue cup in our quick-to-buy, throw-away society….it was a keeper of memories.
About 10 years ago, I gave my beloved cup to Kate, a very special violin student, at her graduation. I wanted her to have something that meant a lot and could be passed down.
“May you have the experiences of joy that I have had each new day. May the rememberance of what is truly important in the world be instilled in your heart. May you soak in the warmth of the mornings with peace and quiet reflections, always knowing that you have unique treasured worth, just as this old blue cup has. May your experiences be full, your sorrows few, and your joy overflowing.”
I told her that in time, she would pass on the old cup to another deserving soul. I didn’t think about my little, blue cup for a long time. I knew it was in good hands, and probably enjoying an exciting new life with countless new memories.
When I opened the card, that came with the unexpected gift, Kate explained that even though I had lost almost everything in the flood, she still had something of mine to give. “You had told me to give the cup to someone else someday, I just didn’t think it’d be you.”
Life does indeed come full circle, doesn’t it? That little, blue cup was the last thing I expected to receive. Now, I have a special treasure back at home. I only wish my little, blue cup could speak of all the wonderful moments it shared with Kate. I wonder if the little cup traveled to Paris with her? Perhaps, the crisp, Mountain air in Colorado made the cup miss Texas? (Probably not)
May you treasure your moments with treasured, special items that bring warmth to your soul. May you have “memory keepers”, and may you always cherish those small bits of history that are handed down from generation to generation…..like heirloom flower bulbs. You didn’t think I’d write an entire blog without mentioning Heirloom Bulbs, did you?!! 🙂
Tomorrow morning, I will sip my Earl Grey Tea out of my little, blue cup, just as I had done 25 years ago. I will survey the gardens, as I sip on tea, and remind myself that most of life’s greatest gifts don’t have price tags.
Happy Gardening, my friends.