When my parents died, and my siblings and I closed up their home, we each took what we wanted from the house. We were lucky--there were very few things that more than one of us wanted, and it seemed that when there was an item several of us wanted to have we were able to resolve the matter quite easily. After all, this was just 'stuff' we were dividing up, and we all had plenty of wonderful memories--memories that were far more valuable than the 'stuff'.
One of the pieces that I chose to take is this vase. I'm not sure when my mother got it--either for Mother's Day one year, or maybe when one of us was born. My dad was a florist's dream customer--he sent flowers for their anniversary, Easter, Mother's Day, her birthday, Thanksgiving, and Christmas. Not to mention the birth of each of their 5 children. And not just arrangements for the house--there were the corsages for her and the 3 girls, too, on Easter, Mother's Day, and Christmas.
Back in the day you often saw vases in the florist's shop with a Marian theme. So this wouldn't have been a very uncommon vase for my mother to have received. It found a place in her home, on the pie safe she had inherited from her mother--it had come from the family plantation--and it was there for as long as I remember.
The vase has been displayed several places in my home. It's been on the window ledge over the kitchen sink, on the entertainment unit in the living room, and it's currently on top of the television in our bedroom Every time I look at it I am reminded of my mother, and her great devotion to the Blessed Mother. And it reminds me that they are both watching over me, guiding me, and helping me to become the woman God intended me to be.
What about you? Do you have any special family treasures of religious significance? If so, I'd love to hear about them!
