Magical Moment 352, "Elizabeth's Box"

On my unmade bed in my bedroom, I opened a shoebox that hasn't been opened in a very long time. Occasionally, I lift its lid and haphazardly toss something inside, but today I took it out of its drawer and carefully sorted all of its contents.

One of my favorite singers of all time is Randy Travis and I love his song "The Box." If you desire, you may take a peek inside mine. You'll find...

~Two paper umbrellas from Hawaii, when I flew out there to meet my sister’s first baby.

~A book of matches from Lee’s Chicken, my very first professional piano gig. I played there from April 2001 to December 2005. It says in very 1970s print, "Live music, favorite beverages, dress comfortable, bring the kids."

~All the Playbills from every Broadway show I’ve seen.

~Silk lilac flowers that were in my wedding bouquet, because real lilacs are out of season in July.

~An old PX bag filled with dozens of military coins, given to me by Colonels and Generals from military posts all over the country when I toured in the Army Soldier Show.

~An entire Manila envelope full of poems written by my Grandma Valencia.

~My very first Cadet name tag, bearing my maiden name “Daugherty,” and a Ranger Challenge tab, from one of the most difficult  and ambitious things I did as a Cadet.

~A picture of ballerinas that Eddie got me a long time ago, because I’ve always thought they were so beautiful. Now I get to play for them three times a week.

~Numerous birthday cards, congratulation cards, and thinking of you cards from my husband, my parents, my grandmas, my sisters, and my best friend Deb.

~My husband’s old eye glasses. He no longer wears them since he had eye surgery, but he wore them when we first met. And I thought he looked so distinguished and handsome in them.

~An e-mail from SFC Crouse, an ROTC instructor who gave me my first salute at my commissioning. He was responsible for sending me to Airborne School, and making me believe that I could actually do it. He was the first person I called after I made my first jump.

~Four blue boxes from Tiffany & Company. One that my wedding present came in, and one for each anniversary gift since.

~Post cards of places I want to go, and people I want to meet. Audrey Hepburn, John Wayne, Venice, some beautiful place in the mountains that doesn’t have a name.

~Trinkets from Korea, when I went as a Cadet. The Republic of Korea Marines were mesmerized by my height as a female, and gave me gifts on my last day there, a lighter, a bookmark, and a bracelet charm.

~Memorabilia from the 82^nd Airborne. I was in it for a little while, and it was one of my dreams come true.

~A love letter from Eddie soon after our first date, where he outlined his plan for our future entitled, "Operation Make You Stay With Me Forever." Four years later, things are going as planned.

~Extra wedding invitations. You had to order a minimum of 50, and we had only 20 guests. 

~An angel pin that says “Friendship” from Deb. She gave it to me years ago. I’ve never worn it, but I’ve always kept it.

~Ticket stubs from a Dolly Parton concert, front row. I love her.

~Article clippings from my home town’s Lincoln Journal Star that my mother sends me. I hardly ever read them all, but I keep them.

~An e-mail my dad wrote me, when I was discouraged in the Army, and he motivated me to keep going.

~A piece of notebook paper with my favorite Scriptures in my handwriting. 

~A guitar pick from the Ryman Auditorium in Nashville on the day I got engaged.

I carefully place these treasures back inside and swallow the lump in my throat. I'm fortunate to have a box so full. For it is only a fraction of what is in my heart.