My buddy Diane recently wrote a wonderful post about a Simple Abundance passage concerning "comfort drawers." Check it out at
Alberta Photography.
That particular book will never, ever gather dust at my house as it's constantly at my bedside and referred to often. I remembered the passage, read it again and thought about Diane's challenge. If I made a comfort drawer for myself I would never find it again, plus weird things would begin to show up in it like a screwdriver, old batteries, and lots of dog hair. I don't need a comfort drawer.....I need a vacation.
But I know someone who could use a comfort drawer these days - my mom. She has been through a couple of rough years physically and emotionally, but we think now that she's on the mend. She has finally, FINALLY received what we believe to be a correct diagnosis and medications that are actually working. It's been a journey for her. A scary journey, a frustrating journey, a maddening journey. Not a good journey. She needs a comfort drawer for those nights she still wakes in fear, thinking the worst in the dead of night all by herself, alone in the quiet with only demons whispering in her ears. She needs a comfort drawer.
However, like me my mom has precious little space in her cottage. So, instead of a comfort drawer I created for her a comfort box. I have these little wooden purses with pretty brass latches. They're lined with felt and ready to be filled with whatever one chooses. One became her comfort box.
My mom and I are what we call "sticks & twigs people." We find tremendous comfort in the gifts of our earth. Both of us bring home rocks and feathers, seed pods and seashells, driftwood and lichens and flotsam and jetsam from our travels. Mind, our travels could be the riverbank or the backyard. However, for my mom's comfort box I went through my various and many wooden bowls and boxes and baskets to retrieve items to remind her of our good times together. A hawk feather and "dove" (homing pigeon) feathers found in my yard here; rocks and shells and a mussel shell from our riverbank; scallop shells from our summers on Holden Beach, North Carolina, a rock and palm tree seeds from Bill & Elgin's yard in Arizona; Indian Bead Corn from the house I grew up in; a red buckeye seed pod from my yard here; a gold crystal bead that belonged to her mother. These items were wrapped in a handkerchief made by her Aunt Gracie that my mom gave to me long ago. These items were wrapped in the cloth, atop which I placed an old, small book of mine that she has always adored called "Springs of Oriental Wisdom."
Baylee and I took it over to her and presented it to her on the front porch. She was so surprised and delighted, taking out each and every piece while I explained to her where it came from and why it was included. She didn't cry, but instead laughed along with me as we relived some of the best times of our lives together. She'll add to it as we share more adventures together.
Before the stories began, she brought out a glass of wine and we "dinked" to our special bond and friendship. I've got the best mom in the world!
I begin by telling you how special this occasion was to me. It wasn't my son nor am I Jewish but the warmth and love of everything touched me deeply during this, my cousin-in-law's (and wife's) middle son's Bar Mitzvah. This was a beautiful ceremony and reception - lavish and fun, traditional and contemporary, solemn and boisterous. There were Jewish elders in traditional wear sitting next to teenage girls in brightly colored party dresses. Rock and roll music was the backdrop to traditional toasts and prayers. Some of my favorite shots, as usual, are of the small details.
Torah scrolls
The Hebrew that Jordan read.
Outside, this bell hung from a tree.
My favorite photo of all.
