Treasures

     Her grandfather's cedar chest was buried beneath a pile of clothes needing hangers. We moved them to the bed and lifted the lid. Hangers could wait. All the speculation and prospecting came down to this moment. Deep inside was a treasure, a treasure we had come to find. Before we could retrieve it, we had to move aside the blankets so lovingly and beautifully crocheted by my aunts twenty-seven years ago. There was a crib sheet and comforter that rocketed us both back to that nursery decorated in primary colors, so bright and cheerful. We found items tucked away for no other reason than there was no where else to put them. The belt I was wearing the night he proposed and gave me a beautiful diamond ring. The shoes I wore when I said, "I do." A knife with the stamp of the restaurant equipment company my grandfather worked for. Sympathy cards tied with a pretty bow with a dried rose attached from my father's grave. Little frames of cross-stitch I made for my hubby before we were married. The mother's copy of her birth certificate. A stack of her school papers and drawings. A card she had intended to mail to her BFF in sixth grade, sealed and addressed. Her royal blue graduation gown from RHS. Another blanket so carefully made by another precious lady who loved and cared for her dad when he was a boy.
     Then we found it, carefully wrapped in layers of plastic...                       my veil.
     After all these years it is still pretty and white, though a little wrinkled. As we pulled it out and her face lit up when she saw it, my heart was happy. It's a little dated with the headpiece, but that is easily remedied. We stood there, placing it on her head, spreading it out as best we could, which wasn't that good since it is so long. She twisted her hair up and showed me how she would like to wear it and we talked about how easy it would be to get it ready for 362 days from today.
     Now it is stashed away in a fresh bag and plans are made to contact a friend who can help us with the updates. The memories have been carefully replaced in the chest. She is gone, almost to her new home in Alabama after a wonderful, busy weekend visit to make some wedding plans. And here I sit. Heart swelled with emotion as my little girl plans to wear my veil when she weds the man of her dreams. It's a nice, satisfying feeling to know she wanted it. It just brings a certain peace that can't be described.
     As she left today I was ready to burst into tears. Not sad, miserable tears. Tears that can only be understood by the mother of the bride. She asked why. I just smiled and told her, "Can't explain it. You'll understand in twenty or thirty years." So in two weeks when we shop for her dress, I will have my pockets full of pretty hankies because sometimes life's blessings fill your heart with so much joy there is not enough room inside and it has to escape out of the corners of your eyes.