You are here: Home / the kids / A Legacy of Love
19
Aug 2010

A Legacy of Love

August 19, 2010 By 24 Comments
  • Sharebar

“I’m the girl who learned to love from watching you.”

~ Lucy Kaplansky, singer/songwriter

  

My four year old got a card on her birthday last year.

 

It was 30 years old.  

You see, my mother is a master legacy builder. And she likely learned it from her mother. (I’m hoping to follow suit.) Without fail whenever a holiday or birthday or special event arrives for one of my children, so does a 30 year old card. As my daughter tears into her very own piece of mail, scanning for the only word she recognizes – her name – my eyes always fall on the same six words: We love you. Grama and Grampa. Those words were written to me, by my grandmother, decades ago on the occasion of my birthday or holiday or just-because-I-love-you.

 

But now in the margins of the early ’80′s paper-thin American Greeting a new message is scrawled, and a new set of names. Written by my mother to her granddaughter.

 For my daughter these cards are just another small token of love from her grandmother. An item to be cherished and smiled upon for a moment and then set aside in favor of the latest episode of Angelina Ballerina. But to me they are my past…and my future. I finger the worn paper knowing that in another 30 years these cards will be unearthed again. And that the margin that lies empty is waiting for me.

 So I tuck the cards gently away into the file folder that houses handprints, self portraits and greeting cards. And I wait for the day that the legacy is mine to pass down.

 

My mother is a master legacy builder. (I’m hoping to follow suit.)  

What are some ways you’re leaving a legacy for your loved ones? Or that your loved ones are doing so for you?

 

About Erin


Erin has been a mama for six years, a blogger for five, and professional photographer for four. She hopes to be all of those things for at least another 50. She’s passionate about her family, her friends, bright colors and shooting jpeg (what?!). Erin is also the creative force behind the highly acclaimed Clean Color video editing tutorial. Those are the things that feed her soul but Erin says writing about them feels like the dessert. Erin makes her home and runs her business in Huntsville, Alabama.

Related Posts with Thumbnails
Print Friendly
Filed Under: the kids
  • Lisa

    I have never hated myself so much for throwing cards away.

    I am starting this legacy TODAY! Well actually in a few months at my daughter’s second birthday.

  • http://www.laceyreimann.com Lacey

    Beautiful first post, Erin! As soon as I read the first lines and saw that vintage card, I scrolled up to confirm…..yep, a post from Erin. :- ) There is a definitely a strong legacy of love in your family! Lucky you!

  • http://www.laceyreimann.com Lacey

    P.S. I still have cards from my loved & missed Granny & cards she gave my twins when they were babies.

  • http://www.turtlesprogress.blogspot.com Grama

    I’m so happy to see this post. I love giving Sarah and Charlotte those cards that you and your sister received from my parents so long ago.

  • http://www.turtlesprogress.blogspot.com Grama

    I’m so glad to see this post! I love sending Sarah and Charlotte the cards that were sent to you and your sister by my parents!

  • http://tinytwig.typepad.com Hayley

    this is absolutely beautiful. love that. legacy building. what a thing to aspire to “master legacy builder”. your mom had awesome foresight to hold on to each card that long ago. :) xo.

  • http://www.LoriPickens.com Lori

    I remember the first time I read about this idea on your Pigbear blog! I LOVED the idea!!! It is the sweetest thing I have ever heard of and will hopefully have a daughter some day that I can start it with.

  • http://1crazychicken.blogspot.com Heather

    Oh my goodness … I love this! I have kept all of my girls’ cards from their own grandparents. What a great idea … thanks for sharing :)

  • Juli Jones

    this has got to be one of the coolest “legacy building” ideas i have ever seen!! such a treasure for your family and a wonderful idea to start with mine. thank you.

  • http://softthistle.net Marylin

    What a wonderful idea! Talk about forward planning… :)

  • http://www.penn-fam.blogspot.com Missy June

    What an amazing idea! The only thing I do which is somewhat like this, is that I re-use cards in craft projects…cutting and pasting with my little ones to re-gift the images sent to us. But wow – I love the history this would create!

  • Pingback: Tweets that mention A Legacy of Love -- Topsy.com

  • http://www.parismillerphoto.com Tammy

    This is such an incredibly special tradition. Looking at that card reminded me of cards I received as a child too. I’m lucky enough to still have my grandparents and that is exactly how she signs every card, We Love you, Nana & Papa. Great post! It made me tear up. :)

  • Jennifer

    Though she might not appreciate the concept now, she certainly will when those same cards arrive for her daughter. You have a very special mom and you are already following in her footsteps.

  • http://www.staceywoodsphoto.com stacey woods

    Oh what a beautiful post!! The women in my family (grandma, mom, sisters, and I) have always saved cards. I can’t even count how many I have, and a lot of them from my own baby book. I have thought about tossing new ones, but in the end I can’t bear to throw out a heartfelt sentiment. Thank you so very much for this idea, Erin!!

  • marina

    What a beautiful post. I too keep all cards and loved it when my mother gave me my grandmother’s box of cards she kept over decades. I had never thought to give them as a birthday card to my children, what a fantastic idea.

  • Michelle

    I have 3 shoe boxes full of cards/post cards from my grandma starting from when i was a baby till present, she;s in her 80′s now, & if i ever feel down i just go through my cards & then i cant even describe how loved i feel :) its a wonderful thing, my mom doesnt do it, but i think its cause she like to make stuff more, she;s always making something extremely thoughtful. Like her n my dad both got new wedding rings a couple years ago & so for my wedding she had her old one made into a heart pendant w/ the diamond mounted in it for on a necklace. She said it was my something old & new :)

  • http://therancherswifesphotography.com The Rancher’s Wife Kate

    What a great idea! I have lots of cards my mom or loved ones have sent. I keep them upstairs in my loft. I am going to go buy a little keepsake holder, and store them all together. Thanks so much for this great idea!

  • http://www.colleensheehy.typepad.com/ Colleen Sheehy

    I love this idea and like many others I will be starting this tradition today too! Love it!!!
    As for me, ever since I was prengent, I write my daughter a note on Mother’s Day each year. I keep them for now and am planning on giving them to her as an adult. I know I would love to know what my own Mother was thinking when I was 1 or 2 or 10. :)

  • http://www.fashily.blogspot.com Meghan

    Beautiful, Deed.

  • http://www.bluebugphotography.com/blog Melissa

    Oh my gosh! What an absolutely wonderful idea!

  • http://www.tinarichardsphotography.com Tina

    I love this!!! You wouldn’t believe how many of my own greeting cards I have saved from childhood & my teenage years. I was cleaning a closet the other day and found a small card with my grandmother’s writing on it, and tucked it away. Now that she’s gone that little thoughtfulness of hers is all the more precious!

  • Pingback: Introducing Lucy » Inglin Photography

  • http://Sethadoresjai.blogspot.com Chelly

    I absolutely love this idea. I save any and all cards I receive for me, my husband and my children. I love the idea of one day passing them on. What a great way to build a legacy. For my daughters first christmas I wanted to create scrapbooks for the grandparents but being a new parent time was scarce so instead I cheated and did shutterfly albums documenting her life to date and added captions. Now they have turned into yearly recap and include her little brother. Both sets of grandparents look forward to this special present. Especially because they can see images from those one-off daily moments they miss living so far way.