One of the best parts of sewing lessons with Grandma was sticking pins in the tomato. At 4 or 5 years old, I would sit on her lap while she ran fabric through the sewing machine. My job was very important; I would take out the pins as she went along and put them in the tomato. However, this was no ordinary tomato. It was an excellent pincushion made of a red and green material, stuffed, and stitched. As Grandma grew older, and I got bigger, I could no longer sit on her lap as she sewed, but she gave me lessons for several years. Over time, I progressed from being the pin girl to cutting out patterns, and then to guiding fabric through the machine. Now I am a young adult, and I do it all by myself, but I look back fondly on those memories. Recently, my Grandma asked what I want to inherit when she passes away. I walked around her house and contemplated which heirlooms I found to be of value. My Grandparents had traveled the world and had many treasures from various countries. However, I had no value stored in those objects. Finally, I told my Grandma I wanted the tomato pincushion. “Really?” Grandma asked, surprised. “Why would you want that?” I explained to her that it reminded me of some of my favorite memories with her. Grandma then shared with me that my aunt had asked for the napkin rings because they reminded her of warm family meals. My cousin wanted the little statue of a man playing the trombone because he was learning to play the trombone. Grandma mentioned how interesting it was to learn how various things held memories for her descendants. Someday, I will get the tomato pincushion and I will treasure it. I wondered how many generations the tomato would make it through. I discussed this with my Mom, and in doing so, I realized that my future kids aren’t going to care about the pincushion. My kids won’t get to sit on Grandma’s lap while she sews and put pins in the tomato. “If I want them to care about and pass on the tomato, I will have to share with them my memories, AND create new ones.” So here’s what you need to know about heirlooms:
1. You never know the memories an object may hold. Ask your family, and you may be surprised at the history you learn. 2. If you want future generations to care about heirlooms, you have to give them memory value. 3. With teens, family history is all about connection. Heirlooms are a great, lasting connection that when given from the heart, will be loved by your teen. Comment below what you have learned about heirlooms. I would love to learn your insights!
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AuthorHi! I’m Sydney Orton. I am 18 years old and I love genealogy! I’ve been doing it for 7 years now and love sharing my passion with others. In my free time, I enjoy musical theatre, cooking, and kayaking. Archives
October 2018
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