My Life in a Dresser Drawer

I was digging through my dresser drawers, desperate for a set of shoelaces. I didn't find any that would meet my need, but I did find a veritable time capsule of my life in those drawers.

My college roommate was an art major. She made art look fun -- and easy. So in my senior year I decided to take a weaving class one night a week with her. Larry Metcalf, a master weaver known around the country, was our professor and we had amazing colors and textures to choose from. I labored over my wall hanging (top center), creating a tight, anxious work of art and a basket case of myself!  Poetic justice that I should marry an artist!

I found remnants of three things I cared about in my young adult years -- photography, my wardrobe, and Ciara perfume.  In my drawer were two rolls of undeveloped film, over 30 years old! I wonder what's on them. As for my wardrobe, Peach and I attended a class which we called "I Am Beautiful." I have no memory of what it was really called, but in that class I learned that I am a Winter. As a Winter I should wear strong colors -- black, white, red, blue, certain shades of pink -- but should avoid orange and yellow and other Fall colors. Please don't scold me if you see me wearing any color that doesn't show up on that color card in the middle of the photo. I loved the scent of Ciara, so much so that when I used up all the powder that was in the powder box above I kept the puff in the empty box in my drawer, just for the fragrance that lingered on it.

My white wedding stockings with the tiny bows on the side were elegant and I just couldn't give them up. Today I discovered in the right toe something like a small piece of bark. Was I so out of it that day that I didn't notice I was walking on a piece of bark?

I wonder, which of my babies was born to earn me those beautiful hospital socks?

Years later I worked in the public school as a substitute para-educator and kept my lanyard from the 2000-2001 school year. I picked up a Pokemon marble off the floor and hid it away in my drawer. And on the backside of Christmas wrapping paper in 2005 I jotted down the list of Christmas gifts for Tom, the boys, and the extended family. They all ended up in my dresser drawer.

One last thing I found today was a baseball. Actually there are baseballs in several of our dresser drawers. Tom has saved them over the years to give to our sons. Though the circumstances of my receiving one of these balls has passed from my mind to cyberspace, I am honored to have been included as a recipient.