Comments on: Hope Chest

By: Tara Threlkeld

Tara Threlkeld — Fri, 05 Feb 2010 20:03:34 +0000

The one club girls don’t want to be part of, losing a great Dad. Thank you for sharing such an intimate part of your heart.

By: Zombie

Zombie — Fri, 05 Feb 2010 05:01:28 +0000

This was a very interesting blog. I feel like I have the same type of bubble. I’m okay and composed unless someone asks if I’m alright. Then ALL the waterworks move in full motion.

I haven’t lost any member of my immediate family, so I couldn’t possibly feel that pain. But my father was a firefighter all my life, and every time he left the house my heart sunk a little.

As for your father’s yearbooks, I do the same thing with mine. I look at them and go wow these bring back memories and then put them back in a box to be forgotten. Perhaps someday I’ll toss them out, but I think I’ll know when I’m ready.

By: Tesa

Tesa — Fri, 05 Feb 2010 01:25:46 +0000

It’s so nice that you have a chest of his things. It would be very tough to divy up let alone throw anything away. I know what you mean about the “what ifs.” They haunt me often and get me nowhere, so frustrating sometimes. The added stress sometimes prevents me from enjoying life. I think recognizing though helps you move past it.

By: Sally

Sally — Thu, 04 Feb 2010 23:46:15 +0000

My grown daughter and I go through my mom’s cedar chest every few years; each time I think I’ll get rid of some things, I can’t make myself do it. They’re both gone; my mom and dad. And, now since the death of my 17 year old grandson in 2008, we’ve begun adding things of his. It’s SO hard, but I know someday my daughter will be doing this alone.

How do you throw away yearbooks? I honest don’t know.

By: adrianscrazylife

adrianscrazylife — Thu, 04 Feb 2010 06:53:39 +0000

What a great post. I have similar feelings about my Dad. All I have from him is a set of old golf clubs and a couple of sweaters, along with a few old pictures. He’s been gone for more than 15 years and my sister and I are just about the only ones who remember him. That’s pretty sad really.

By: Kimberly

Kimberly — Thu, 04 Feb 2010 05:33:51 +0000

This post really hit home. The stuff is all we have left of this person who is gone and that makes it really hard to part with. I lost my dad almost 5 years ago. I recently did some spring cleaning in the garage and found a bunch of stuff that my dad had given me – a baseball glove and ball, a big horse book – stuff that I didn’t even remember I had until I found it. The plan was to clean, but that kind of thing was put back in a box. I couldn’t bear to throw it out.

By: Amy

Amy — Thu, 04 Feb 2010 05:19:21 +0000

I am so not good with this subject. Don’t like to talk about it really. I am a what if kind of person too. What if I die and the girls don’t remember me? One of my worst fears! What if something happens to Jacob? What will I do? What if something happens to one of my girls? I am horrible. Everyday is full of what ifs! Perhaps it is because I lost my baby sister when I was young and feel her absence daily. I am glad that I am not the only one who does this, not the only one in a “bubble”. I am so sorry for you loss for the pain you suffered as a child and for the pain you still have. Hugs to you!

By: Erin

Erin — Thu, 04 Feb 2010 04:50:11 +0000

At least you have that….aside from pics I don’t have anything from my father. But I have albums and albums of pics that my mom always put together of my brother and I growing up and my dad….THOSE are what I panic over. I made scanned copies, but they are just in the closet…what if there is a fire…then all my pics…GONE, all my memories of both the men that are now gone…up in smoke….ohhh I shrudder just thinking about it!

By: Lourie

Lourie — Thu, 04 Feb 2010 04:18:05 +0000

Those things will be for your kids so they can know him the way you did. Thanks for sharing.

By: Rebecca

Rebecca — Thu, 04 Feb 2010 04:05:02 +0000

Actually, it’s ironic that this was all brought up beings today is my dad’s birthday…