Penny For Your Thoughts A Nickel For Your Kiss
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There was a time when sending a letter via Postal Service was an everyday occurrence and one would anticipate when they received a letter or postcard in the mail with cute little words written inside or a picture identifying where the person was with ," We are having a great time here in the Carolinas, wish you were here." written and lovingly signed by someone special on the back. Recently my mother moved in with us and along with her came a trunk which she had been lugging around for years. We had always known about the trunk but did not know what treasure's were held inside she had always told all of us that it was not our business and those were her belongings. As I peeked quietly through the bedroom door not wanting to disturb her I had noticed a stack of cards with envelopes neatly tied with a big red bow lying next to her on the floor. quietly I listened to her humming these words, " A penny for your thoughts, a nickel for your kiss, a dime if you tell me that you love me. " I felt like a little girl listening to her humming, mom used to always hum that song when we were young. Carefully she unwrapped the stack of keepsakes and peered into them one by one. I felt my heart racing knowing those cards were something special that she had kept for all of those years. Thinking to myself I wondered what happened to the good old days when a letter or a card was something important that we tucked away to reflect on the past? We are all so busy with the hustle and bustle that an e-mail is much quicker and saves time and energy thus eliminating the thoughtfulness we place behind a handwritten letter or card. Sitting down on the floor , peering through the cracked open space being careful not to cast any type of shadow I had seen her lines around her eyes become deepened and her eyes glistened this time she started to sing the words to the song, " A penny for your thoughts, a nickel for your kiss, a dime if you tell me that you love me. " I knew then that those letters and cards were something important, something special that nobody could ever take from her. It did not matter if she sold everything and ended up with a handful of things it was the letters and cards that traveled with her through the years. Smiling to myself I got up from the floor and gently knocked, "mom are you o.k. in there?", I asked. "Julianna is that you?", she replied. "Yes it is me, may I come in?" I again asked. "Yes do come in, she said calmly. Opening the door and walking in I had noticed that the trunk holding all of her treasures was full of trinkets. A hand print that I made when I was a child, a string of garland made out of faded green paper from years gone by, a card from my sister made out of paper and macaroni. I knew then that these were mom's treasures they were things that were from the heart that nobody could take away. The cards that were so beautifully tied in a ribbon were cards and letters written or made by all of us and every last love letter and card that our father gave to her. As I sat down next to her on the bed I realized what was more important then all of the materialistic things money could buy was the importance of a letter or card. The Internet is so sterile and sometimes buying a postage stamp or making a card is priceless and will always bring fond memories for years to come, so the next time you choose to send a Hallmark via Internet take the time to spend a few bucks that card or letter will certainly last a lifetime. "Penny for your thoughts, A nickel for your kiss, a dime if you tell me that you love me. "
copyright © 2009
Penny For Your Thoughts
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Comments
you are a great writer that is so true
I*n*v*i*c*t*u*s: Thanks so much and my mom maybe realized the important of a letter.
Brenda: Thank you bunches. :)
' A nickel for ....'. So beautifully said. I still remember making cards using crayons and water colors for my aunt (mother's sis) when I was in school. She preserved those cards for almost thirty years and I didn't even know that. Recently she told me that as she had to relocate, she had no choice but to destroy those cards after so many years. It was so touching. I wonder if she would have done the same thing with e-mails sent thru internet. Thats the difference. Thumbs up Evans.
Wonderful story....made me smile! :)
Excellent Thanks for another great hub!
anja: Since my mother has moved in I have truly realized the importance of the little things. That is sad to hear that she destroyed the cards but it is certainly nice that she shared her story and let others know how important they were to her. :)
Tom: I am so glad that it made you smile I love my mom bunches. :)
Hmr: You are so welcome and I am glad that you to enjoyed the hub. :)
Beautifully written! You are one talented writer. Thanks for sharing. Thumbs up!
OMG!!!! this was wonderful...and it made me think fo the letters I have tyed up in a pink ribbon from the father of my children...May get them out and write a story...Thanks you are such a dear Lady...:O) Hugs
thelesleyshow: Thank you for the warm comment. :)
G-Ma: They will one day and how wonderful yours is in pink ribbon! :) ((Big Hugs)) :)
I kind of miss the days of giving and receiving letters via snail-mail. I guess I'm old-fashion in that sense! I remember when my my oldest brother and sister would receive love letters from their girlfriend and boyfriend (respectively) and my other brother and sister would get nosy and beg to read them. I remember those letters smelling like a Macy's perfume department as the letters reeked of cologne and perfume (again, respectively). Oh, those were the days!
I really liked this tribute and enjoyed reading about your mother's keepsakes...It's kind of tough to hold in your hands an e-mail message isn't it?
Very creative and nice. Keep it up.
this is a great story and I have to say, my wife and I are going on our 20th wedding anniversary and we still leave paper notes around for each other:)
dohn: I miss those days to I still send cards but a majority of the time I send an e-card but I do think that this holday season I am sending paper cards to everyone.
Philipo: Thank you.:)
mtsi1098: That is so adorable and wonderfully sweet those cards are going to last a lifetime that is so kind and by the way I don't know when it is coming but Happy 20th Anniversary! :)
My thoughts nobody will ever know, the kiss is my pleasure and my love is forever. Nice hub, have a great weekend my friend x
Great story AE. really is. Memories is all it is and wonderful ones too. Hold onto them and her with all your might dear. Mine is gone and all I have are those memories. I remember that lil song too, penny for your thought...
I make my won cards with my own art. Much better than the commercial ones they are. thanks dear, peace, CC
This wonderful hub made me think of a recent event in my house. My daughter who is ten left me a I Love You "card" where I would find it. She took a piece of printer paper and drew I Love You in bubble letters, then folded it up and placed it where I would find it. That was very sweet of her and I appreciated the thoughtfulness of it. Thank you for this wonderful reminder. Wes
badco: Thank you so much and you as well have a lovely weekend! :)
ralwus: Aaah that is sweet and making cards is so much more special I do have to agree. I certainly will hold onto my memories. :)
wesleycox: That is a wonderful memory and one that you and your daughter will cherish forever and ever. :)
The Art of the Handwritten Note. I believe it to be irreplaceable in what it conveys. I write notes to people by hand but starting today I am going to do it more often.
A fine story, wonderfully written.
James A: Now that is a great start and thank you for the comment I am glad that you are now going to take it upon yourself to do it more often.:)
When I saw the title, I instantly thought of the music. But when I read the hub, I found more than just the music, I found the heart =). Great hub AEvans.
emievil: Thank you and you did find the heart Happy Labor Day ! :)
Brilliant Hub. I so miss the days where everything was handwritten and from the bottom of heart. Internet has reduced the physical distance but certainly it does not have the charm of a handwritten thing. Beautifully expressed. Keep up the good work.
I have only one friend who stubbornly refuses to get computer savvy and I eagerly look forward to his annual missive...apart from a newsy and long letter he also adds newspaper clippings he think I might enjoy reading...and a handmade Christmas card. :)
AE I have to agree that In ahardwired world that has most of us disconnected from one another , there Is no substitute for the human touch on anything .I really liked this little hub partly because I am a romantic at heart ! . Tell your Mom I said Hi !
jayb23: I miss those days to so I am certainly going to do things differently after seeing my mother and her joy.:)
Feline: That is the sweetest thing I have heard. :)
tony0724: I am a romantic to and I will tell mom hello!! In fact it is 8:10am and she is standing right behind me, she also says hello too. :)
Wow. This is a beautiful story. I love old letters too.
Raven King: Thank you and they are great memoirs and heaven sent.:)
Absolutely loved this hub! I think its so sweet that your mom kept everything over the years. Everything is so impersonal with emails and things. Now at days you dont even get love letters, you get love texts. "Say what you feel in 160 characters or less"...sad
spiritedstar25: Thank you and yes my mom did keep them it actually choked me up when I was being observant. :)
One of the best hubs I've ever read, keep up the great work AEvans!
EWeatlhguide: Thank you! :)
happy tears .. that what I got from reading this. . just beautiful . .
You are one really good writer. Thanks for this hub, and good luck with the book, you'll succeed, I know it.
WaveGirl: I am glad that you truly enjoyed it! :)
Paradise7: Thank you for the positive comments. :)
A great hub. Thanks.
Robert Elias Ballard
Robert: Thank you. :)
I have to say I absolutely enjoyed reading this! How many people actually take the time to write a letter, or even, god-forbid, MAKE a card?
My dearest friend did this once. I thought she was a nut when she gave it to me. She used construction paper, card stock, ribons, hand made bows and wrote every word herself. I enjoyed it, although I couldn't imagine how she found the time to do it because she was always running here and there.
Now, I year after her passing I have looked at this card numerous times. She made it just for me because there wasn't a card on any shelf that said how she felt about me.
Thank you for this reminder. To this day I have my kids put their special birthday cards and notes in their dresser drawers so they can look back and remember how special people think they are, but it only takes one card for me.
Peace to you!
Hey you,
An article that many of us understand all to well, though you did scare me. Talking about a monetary figure for ............anything, made me think for a moment what this was going to be about.
So wonderfully written, you are truly gifted. Thank you!
Calling Crow: That is the most adorable thing I have heard and when I listened to my mom I realized the importance of a card.
Harvey: I am glad that you sincerely enjoyed the read. :)
Ladybird33: Thank you! :)
How wonderful it is to have your mother with you. My mother spent the last two years of her life with us in our home. Her wonderful memories will live on. God Bless and Take care.
star439: I am so glad that you have wonderful memories, I love my mom and although we may on occassion have indifferences I am glad she is with us. :)
There is something intensely personal about handwriting. Mine happens to be so illegible as to be a scandal. But that's beside the point.
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I*n*v*i*c*t*u*s says:
3 months ago
OMG, this is so beautiful and your writing is so lovely. :)