You all know by now that my mother is a keeper of all things. Many of her things were stored in our basement. In later years it became something of an Excavators Theme Park for the grandkids. The Boy was just talking about this the other day. He commented on how there were secret tunnels all over the basement and it seems that every time he visited a new tunnel had opened and was ready to be explored.

When I was a child there weren’t as many things and no tunnels but there were treasures to be discovered. Being kids, my sisters and I considered it our life calling to seek out these treasures and make them our own.

Pity the poor parent that has curious children. We found the trunk with my parents’ treasures.

My mother had once been a school teacher and many of her treasures came from that time. When we found the box of rubber stamps they looked like they were brand new. They must have meant a great deal to her because she had taken very good care of them. That sentiment was lost on the three young rug-rats she called her daughters.

We played school and made great use of this set. Once we found an old checkbook and shifted our focus to playing bank with the stamps. We loved these stamps. Many years later my older sister and I both found our way to the art of rubber stamping. I think the seeds were planted early in us with this set of alphabet stamps.

I had been thinking about my mother’s many treasures while I prepared to visit her home last month. I knew there had already been a lot of packing and sorting going on but that much remained to be done. I couldn’t help but wonder what treasures might be found while I was there. These stamps came to mind and I secretly wished I would see them again. I didn’t really expect to because I was quite sure they had been lost long ago. About 16 years ago there was a big fire at my parents’ home. The fire started in the basement and claimed most of their possessions. The stamps had always been in the basement so I just didn’t think there was any way they could have survived. It’s in pretty good shape and only the upper case D, J, L and M are missing.

As my mother and I were sorting through boxes last month she pulled out this box of stamps and my heart soared. It was such a thrill to see them again. I think I took her off guard with my love for these stamps. I’m pretty sure she expected me to tell her to toss them rather than telling her that I shared her attachment for some old “thing”. I don’t know if it was a bonding or just a moment of shock but she actually told me to take the stamps with me. Now it was my turn to be shocked. She doesn’t give up her treasures easily.