When going through old stuff, you sometimes find pieces of your life long forgotten

[DFW]

We are trying to toss out useless stuff accumulated over the last 40 years.

Plenty of stuff is not useless, but rather, priceless. One example is this letter written from my mother in March, 2001, to my eldest daughter, her granddaughter. This was 3 months after my Dad had died, and less that a year before her first stroke would cruelly rob her of her ability to read and write. She was fighting to regain both when a second stroke killed her in June 2002.

I crossed out names, but the content is amazing. Just a brief letter from a 74 year old recent widow to her 18 year old granddaughter, but a window into someone very special who had a difficult enough time raising me.

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[safeinOhio]

1. I'd suggest everyone keep

A hand written diary of this flu thing. Grandkids might learn from it. I’ve had a few Civil War ones and they were great reads.

[mr_lebowski]

2. That's beautiful :) As an aside, if you happen to stumble on any Pawn Shops that will pay ...

'full sentimental value', let me know, ok?

[DFW]

7. I have never been to a pawn shop, but from what I hear

The word "sentimental" has yet to be uttered inside one except by disappointed customers.

[chia]

3. Such a surprise gift to find that letter from your mom, I'm so glad for you.

I too have been going through papers, trying to file them into some kind of order (not very good at that). I found letters I'd written to my kids 12 years ago before I had minor surgery. For some reason at the time I was unreasonable afraid I wouldn't wake up from the anesthesia, and I wrote letters to them telling them how much I loved them and what made them so lovable, and telling them little stories about their lives that I remembered and loved. After finding the letters this week, I went ahead and gave them to the two that live here, the third one I'll have to mail. And I guess I'll sit down and write another set of letters.

[defacto7]

4. I've saved many if not most of the hand written notes my father wrote

to me as a teenager. Many were short notes of encouragement others longer and deep. But all written on placemats from diners he'd visit for breakfast. He'd be 112 if he were alive and I still miss him.

[DFW]

8. My dad was a prominent DC journalist

He wrote volumes, but seldom to us directly. I have some of his writing, though, most famously, his very last column, in which he bade farewell to his loyal readers of the past 50 years. It was published a little over a week before he died. It was amazing.

He would have been 98 this year.

[Dem2theMax]

5. That truly is priceless.

It really touched my heart. Thank you for sharing something so personal with all of us.

[DFW]

6. My mom used to devour books

She read something like one a day.

Too bad she never got around to writing any!

[CaliforniaPeggy]

9. Oh my dear DFW.........

That is priceless beyond words. What a beautifully written letter it is.

I'm so glad you found it.

She was a treasure and she helped you become the amazing man that you are.

[DFW]

12. My mom was no small intellect on her own

She was always content to take a back seat to my dad because of his prominence in Washington, but she had an intellect every bit as versatile and capable as his, just never saw any reason to promote it.

[Laffy Kat]

10. That's a treasure. nt

[DFW]

11. My wife already took a photo and sent it to our daughter

She didn't remember it. She had given us blanket instructions to toss out anything we might find in her room. She was VERY glad that we disobeyed her!