Makes you go "hmmm
Recently, on one of my thrift store jaunts, I came across an old edition of "Hans Brinker". I have never read this book, but it is on all the the good book lists for children, so I picked it up (for a mere .59).
I just noticed in the front cover this inscription:
How on earth could someone get rid of that book? Unless all her books had such inscriptions, I don't see how it is possible. If I had such an inscription in one of my childhood books, it would be one of my most treasured possessions. I just can not figure that one out. (The book was from 1963, so it really isn't THAT old, really. Right??)
I just noticed in the front cover this inscription:
"To a very brave little girl. From her loving and adoring mommy."
How on earth could someone get rid of that book? Unless all her books had such inscriptions, I don't see how it is possible. If I had such an inscription in one of my childhood books, it would be one of my most treasured possessions. I just can not figure that one out. (The book was from 1963, so it really isn't THAT old, really. Right??)
Labels: matters of the heart
posted by Renee at Tuesday, March 20, 2007
7 Comments:
I agree! How could someone let that go? And by the way, it's a GREAT book. I loved it! Very sorry to hear from my Dutch cousins that the canals don't freeze over in Holland anymore, though.
I bet her husband was saying to her "why do we have all of this stuff packed in boxes in our basement? We have moved these boxes to 4 different houses now and I am too old to do it again. If you don't do something about it, I am going to donate them all to the thrift store." She probably does not know it is gone yet because husbands usually strike in the dark of night-or when you are at the grocery.
Sometimes adult daughters leave many of their childhood possessions in a box in their parents' attic for fifteen years, move 700 miles away, and then one summer her mom says, "Denise (or whoever), I'm moving and your stuff has got to go. Is there anything in these boxes you want me to save?" and of course she can't remember anything in particular so rather than burden her mother any further she just says, "No, go ahead and get rid of it," and offers it up for the gift of detachment from material possessions. *sigh* There are so many things we love, that we just can't keep.
Sometimes darkness surrounds words such as those. Imagine the owner of the book being the victim of abuse at the hands of the one who wrote such kind words. Just one of the many sad possibilities.
Sometimes people just move on and parents end up tossing boxes. This happened to me. It wasn't my folk's fault. They'd given me plenty of notice. I was lazy and several years too late when I realized I'd lost my treasured collection of Mad Magazine illustrated novels like "Bat Boy." I know, I know...
Sometimes, as wonderful as something was it is time for a person to move on.
O
Oh, it is sad to contemplate, but I agree with many of the "why"s posted above me.
I also remember that book fondly.
I don't know. As a fanatical second hand book purchaser I feel a sense of sadness for the family, yes, for perhaps not having an appreciation of the item enough to keep it, but I also pray for the family, because one never knows if there are family members alive to cherish such items.
Last year I picked up a Roman Missal in Oxfam in Wales and it had an inscription and bookmarks with messages to 'a dear son'. I felt a twinge of sadness, but I know that I will treasure this Roman Missal...even if it does smell of moth balls!
:-)
Mayhaps the owner of the book has passed, and either had no relatives or had relatives that just didn't understand or appreciate its true value...
I always wonder about an item's history as well. :o)
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