What a Drip

Water.

It sustains all forms of life.

It cleans.

It provides beauty and recreation.

It is a precious commodity.

But it can

also

destroy.

Last week while I was busy doing everything

BUT ironing {which truth be told I do not like doing}

A silent menace ~

My plastic bottle of distilled water ~

leaked silently....

Drip. Drip. Drip.

Leached right through the 

bottom of the container.

Sitting below the distilled water

in the cupboard was one of my

favorite baskets, containing ten years

worth of cherished cards that I had saved ~

Birthdays

Mother's Day

Anniversaries

Thank you's

Friendship

Just Because

When my husband went to iron a shirt,

he found my card basket sitting in

an inch of water. A lethal inch

now hosting mold at the bottom of
 the sodden container.

The cards were also wet, moldy 

and stuck to each other.

Ten years of love, appreciation,

cheer, humor, news and so

much more.

At first my heart dropped to my

stomach as I slowly peeled the cards

away from each other, 

one by one 

by one.

The toughest to take in were those home- 
made construction-paper gems from my kids,

and the ones drawn beautifully by my daughter.

Ruined.

And the cards from my Gigi, when she

was still able to get out and buy them.

Although her signature got shakier each year,

I knew the effort that it took for her to buy

these and sign each one, and they meant 

so much to me.

My husband puts such love into my cards,

which often include a sweet and fitting quote

he has added to the words already printed.

I grieved over each one as I peeled it 

away from the next.

The cards from those friends who are like 

sisters to me were also hard to lose.

Each and every one, selectively kept because 

it spoke to my heart in some way, 
completely spoiled.  
Smelly.  Moldy.  Water-logged.

I was crushed.

Reminded me of the time that I casually threw 
away some of my {then} kindergartner's plethora of 
papers and drawings from school.  Usually I chose what to 
save or toss when he was busy, but that day he was there.

 After I'd pitched a small pile his small stricken face
 told the  whole story, as he said in astonishment,

You threw those AWAY?

Those papers are MY LIFE!!

I never made that mistake again.

Courtesy of Adelaide Now, Australia

After I got over the initial distress of my ruined cards,

I began to think about those who have lost ALL of 

their paper memories to fire or flood and I realized 

that while these cards and notes were precious, 

they were just this: things.  Things that contained

words from those who mean the most to me and whose

love a little water can never erase.

Water recently destroyed everything that many families

in Queensland, Australia possessed.  Sadly, there 

are many families now living in shelters with their children

  until they can get back on their feet.  Children who 

also lost everything, from their little books to their 

precious dolls and stuffed toys.

Children of the Floods
Courtesy of The Daily Telegraph, Australia

Which is where Hope Softies comes in.  Lovely

Queenslander Steph of the blog Mon Petit Poppet has 

organized a stuffed toy drive for one of the temporary 

shelters near her home.  While my mom was here

last week, we made eight whimsical dollies to send

 to Steph for these children.  Mom made four, I made three 
and my daughter made one.  

My daughter's creation : )

Ready for the post office!

It felt great to mail them off today.

It helped me keep it all in perspective.

Made me think of little sweet faces lighting 

up when they are gifted with a new stuffed friend 

to hug tight while they sleep....and wait with hope

to get back into their own homes.


I'm so much more than alright.


Thank you for listening!

xx

Suzanne

PS {times three}:

1.  Congrats to the winner 
of my Shabby Apple giveaway, 
#18, Kat of Pretty in Pink and Green,
who chose the Azure Coast dress!

2.  I'm be guest-posting for the lovely Anne

at Fiona and Twig, so please pop 
 over there and say hello!

3.  You can also find a little shout-out
about P&H here, at the fun

website Be In Style, a new 
beauty and fashion blog. 

Posted in charity , gratitude