Voice Box

Memory Box by Finijo

I was very pleasantly surprised today by the arrival of a box from my Uncle Gary's wife, Donna. Uncle Gary died a year ago, and as Donna went through his things, she set aside the items she thought Marilyn and I would want. As I went through the small box, I found the lovely book that was made for Uncle Gary's funeral. The book is filled with pictures of his funeral and spiritual poems. The box also contained family pictures of family members I never met, and the two pictures above, which were the school ID cards for our older brother, David, and our sister, Linda. The ID's are from Muscogee Elementary School in Columbus, Georgia from 1960. I never knew they lived in Georgia. There were letters to Uncle Gary from me from 1983-1984, and letters that Linda sent him from that period, as well. The most surprising treasure in the box was a letter that my father wrote to Uncle Gary in December 1975. I never received a letter from my father before he died, so holding that letter in my hands 31 years after his death was a moving experience, to say the least. For the first time in years, I heard voices from family members that I thought would never speak to me again. Thank you, Donna, for your most thoughtful and gracious gift. We appreciate it more than we can say.