What are Your Favorite Possessions?

Possession, the state of having, owning, or controlling something; an item or property; something belonging to one. Source Oxford Languages.

Irreplaceable, impossible to replace if lost or damaged. Source Oxford Languages.

Every morning, I settle at my desk, preparing for today’s tasks, reading emails, writing and publishing, researching, paying bills, or checking out social media. I open the center drawer and a small metal disk will catch my attention. One inch by one inch (see below). There was a time when I carried it on my keychain, but feared I would lose it, an irreplaceable connection to my mother.

I have written about packing and shipping all of Mom’s possessions (and Julie’s, which she did not recall ever receiving) upon leaving Arizona and moving with her mom to Ohio. We packed and sent everything, almost.

I kept photos and photo albums. I kept Baby books. Now, as the author, preserving memories and stories silently slipping away. I hope someone will maintain my website once I have exited, stage right. keithemaynard.com

I kept a white tea set, passed down from generation to generation, which, as the story goes, reached Plymouth Rock with relatives aboard the Mayflower.

I kept this metal disk. A favorite possession etched with:

MARILYN T MAYNARD

P. O. BOX 12072

TUCSON, AZ

85732

I have kept three teddy bears: mine, well-traveled and tattered; Norma’s, named Flower; and Tommy’s, known as Blue Bear. The future care of them is often on my mind. I suspect not. They require little attention.

Tommy created several art pieces that are doing well and evoke fond memories; will passed be along to family.

Books, the Hardy Boy Stories (some first editions), the John Steinbeck collection (ragged with age all read, some several times), my first Bible (with my notes, passages underlined by which to live), religious texts (belonging to my Grandfather Thomas, Emil Warren Thomas, Tommy’s namesake), and others, with memories.

Finally, a plaid green heart carried, hugged, following my open-heart surgery.

These are some of my favorite possessions, their future in doubt, placeholders, memories for someone when I cross the line in the sand.