It’s amazing the items left over when someone you love passes. My mum passed away on her birthday this year. My dad is in an independent living home, having moved only 3 weeks prior to her death. The house they lived in sold and was closing at the end of July. So much to do to complete this chapter of their life.
On the last day before closing, and on the buffet where my mother’s family pictures were arrayed for the past 14 years, were a number of items no one wanted… Antique dolls, photographs of people no one recognized, tacky holiday pictures in frames … That is until a grandson with a sentimental heart arrived on the scene. He wanted the button jar – a mason jar full of buttons! “Buttons” he said “I want those”.

“Really, I remarked – a button jar! What on earth will you do with that?” “Well, it’s obvious someone went to a lot of work to save them”, he remarks.
Those buttons represent 65 years of painstakingly removing small decorative and to today’s standard, antique buttons from items of clothing her three daughters had outgrown or simple garments she acquired from odd jobs she did sewing for her clients in the 60s.

Somethings as simple as this button jar, conjures up more memories that I can recall. Not only did we collect buttons and threads, but zippers, snaps, bows, bling (sequins) and anything we would otherwise have to pay for at the shop.

These buttons in a jar, represent once more things we don’t think of saving in this disposable society. On the other hand, how many buttons and zippers adorn the clothing of our present-day clothing, making this relic a true item of sentiment for one grandson to bring home and wonder…. Why exactly did I pick this?

Memories are made of this!

Written by Johanna Booy, of Care & Company Ltd., SeniorCareVictoria.ca.