Within my mother’s cedar chest are many treasures: baby shoes from both of her children, colored pictures that run outside the lines, a silk blanket from Japan, old photos of my parents when their love was powerful and sweet at the same time, and an oversized Valentine card with yellowed lace and big XOs on every available space.
The chest itself is made from very light wood, and the inside of the chest is dark green felt-like material. When you open the chest, the bold color is a bit startling, but your first instinct is to slide your fingers over the felt’s rich texture.
I have been familiar with this cedar chest since birth, and the same for my sister, Lisa. Perhaps some would take no notice of this rather age-worn piece of furniture, but in the confines of the hope chest, invaluable memories await us.
Perhaps the most delightful and mysterious gift the chest bestows us each time is finding something we had not discovered before.
Just recently, I opened the chest, and lying there was a small Valentine card I recognized. It was a brown envelope with “Mom” written in red crayon. Inside the crumbling envelope was a Valentine card with a faded red balloon in the shape of a heart. The words were written in that same red, and it was obviously a child’s writing. The verse was: “Please hold on tight to my heart.”
I had never seen this card in the chest, though I remembered the card and her reaction. She held the card to her heart and leaned forward to kiss my cheek.
“Your heart will always stay safe with me, Bin,” she said.
I held the card in my hands, thinking of my relationship with my mother. We were close. She knew all of my deepest secrets. She cried when I married for the first time, and picked up all of the pieces of my heart when it was shattered. She made me feel beautiful with my unruly red hair and a body shape that was not acceptable.
My mother never gave up on me and she never let go. She was not perfect, but in my young eyes and even now in my seasoned eyes, she will always be the epitome of what a mother should be.
I wonder about that old wooden chest. Is it truly hiding some treasures we have yet to discover? Do these treasures just magically appear once the chest is opened? To be honest, I really don’t want to know but I cannot help but wonder what I will find the next time I open the chest.
Belinda Wilcox Hersey lives in Caribou with her husband, Kent. You may email her at belindahersy@gmail.com.
