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Sep 12, 2012

The Scissors

Last week we were chasing around, trying to get life organized, when the doorbell rang. I glanced at my sweetie, "Are we expecting anybody?" I asked. (The Dog Walker says exactly the same thing any time the doorbell rings.) My sweetie grinned and shook his head. I made my way through the clutter to the front door. Why is it nobody ever comes to the door unexpectedly when the house is clean?

I pulled open the door, assuming it would be a salesman. But I was wrong, it was my aunt, in town from St. George and the first thing she did was hand me a pair of blue Cutco scissors. "Are these the ones?" she asked. I received them gently and then threw my arms around her in a big hug, "Yes!" I cried, tears pricking my eyes. I never thought I would see them again.

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My grandma passed away at the age of 93 a year ago next week. If you've been reading my blog for a while, you already know that she and I were very close.

It was difficult to give Grandma a gift. Oh, she was always grateful, but you could tell when she was pleased and when she wasn't. The best gift we ever gave her was a white Persian cat, but I will tell you that story another time. The second best gift I ever gave her was a pair of blue Cutco scissors.

Grandma loved crocheting and knitting, so yarn was always a safe bet for a gift. But one day shortly after I got my own pair of Cutco scissors, she was using them when she noticed how nice they were. "They should be!" I griped, "They cost over a hundred dollars!" At the time I was doing quite a bit of sewing professionally and my sweetie was anxious to get me a good pair of sewing shears when he found the Cutco ones. They immediately became my favorites.

After Grandma admired them, I knew I had to get a pair for her. It was a gift she would love and use no matter how old or frail she got. And she did. The handles on hers were more worn than the handles on mine! The last time we visited with her before she died, I told her the only thing I wanted after she was gone was that pair of scissors.

In typical Grandma fashion, she answered, "Go ahead, take them now." But I couldn't do that. It was the one gift I had ever given her that she could still use. So I hesitated and figured it was no big deal. Why would anyone care about one pair of scissors but me?

We were not surprised when she passed away, although she wasn't sickly. But 93 is getting up there. I immediately inquired about the scissors to first my brother who had bought Grandma's house and the contents many years ago and got his consent, and then to my siblings and my aunt and uncle. I was never in the house after Grandma passed away, but the scissors appeared to be gone.

No one had seen them or knew anything about them, but I knew Grandma loved them and used them and they were an important link for me. I tried for the first two weeks with everyone who helped clean out her things, even the neighbors, but no one had seen them. After that, I gave up. Those scissors with her very fingerprints etched into them were gone to me forever.

I thought about them from time to time over the past year, lamenting that I had not taken Grandma's advice and walked away with the scissors the day she offered to return them to me. But I couldn't do it, she wasn't finished with them yet.

Then my aunt and uncle showed up at the door...

11 comments:

  1. This is a very touching post. I was very close with my grandmother, too. She died five years ago and I swear I miss her just as much now as I did when she first passed away. Maybe even more so. Yeah, I'd say I miss her more now, as the years go by without her. I think I could accept my loved ones passing away much better if there were at least way we could talk to them via cell phone while we are on earth and they are in Heaven. Wouldn't that be so cool? I'd love to just call up my gram every now and then... "Gram, you'll never guess what's going on in the world today! Be thankful you missed it!"

    When it was time to go through her house and decide what was worth keeping, what we each wanted, I was the one who passed up the expensive things and went for the sentimental things. I took two of the washcloths that were in her cupboards. They were very, very old. I remembered her using them on me when I was small child, to wipe my face clean after meal. I would also use these two wash clothes during my bath time. For 38 years I saw those two wash clothes either on her sink, in her sink, draping over the bathtub, or in the cupboards. So, I took them. And now I use them to wash up my little ones, her great-grandchildren. And it makes me happy. I also took all the scissors she had in her home, and the pencils and pens that were at her desk. Just knowing that she touched those things on a daily basis made them important to me.

    Thanks for sharing your story :)

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  2. hate losing things so special. and no matter what , you can't get it out of your head. where did she find them?

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  3. My beloved grandmother left me a bible given right after she passed the very day in fact, I thought she read it everyday, in it the whole inside was cut out in its place, pictures of her,my mother who passed from this life very young, my father and my mother, rings from my mother and father, money she saved, notes on how to live what to do with the money she saved, recipes from meals I adored, all kinds of tips, she said she did not feel badly as she read her Bible and memorized the verses and many chapters, she said when I would be given this gift she would be with God and watching out over me forever, can you imagine, I only got to live with her a few years, best years of my life..truly,one can go on in life if one knows their kin and bloodline, I knew mine and still do, our only child looks just like her great great grandmother, favors her in her gestures, voice and the way she fancied her dress and how she cooked, can you imagine, she lives on in my heart and I know God let her be with me for a few years just to make sure I knew her and all my Mother's family in her! What a gift, your blog reminded me of the precious gift of family, nothing like in all of this world, God Bless you for having such a sweet grandmother and for receiving the scissors that remind you daily of your beloved Grandmother, I have the Bible and it is filled with many mementos for our only child if God decides to take me home early!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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  4. It is the little things that make the most sweet memories. I am so glad that you got yours back. Will be thinking of you this next week.

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  5. What a special thing for her to bring you!

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  6. How wonderful that you got your scissors back. I'm happy for you. Thank you for stopping by my blog and wishing me well. That was kind of you. The stone has not passed yet ....we want to drive to Utah tomorrow so I hope it will settle down until we get back. Have a good week. lura

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  7. so glad that you got the scissors back-what a beautiful story to share a connection with your Grandma.

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  8. Wow, this was such a heartfelt and sweet post. I know just how you feel on this one. My grandmother passed away when I was young but I wanted a purple suit that she wore. I didn't ever get it; but I remember her well in it. Meanwhile, I am now seeing my 99 year old aunt a few times a month. She is such a treasure to me. I can't bare the thoughts of losing her or my other aunt is is 93. My mother died at age 90; so they have taken her place. Thanks for such a touching post and it brought some memories back.
    Blessings!

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  9. Such an amazing story! My mom passed away back in 2005 and her things mean so much more to me now. So glad you got your scissors. :)

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  10. Thanks for the photos. Grandma's passing is still very fresh . . .

    ~R

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