by Blaire Daniels

Created on: January 23, 2010

The Memory Box of Dreams

It was the Christmas holidays and I was feeling depressed.  My Mom and Dad went to be with the Lord and my brother and sister too.  I have one sister left  and my husband.  My sister lives out of state so we don't get together around the holidays.  My husband tries to pep me up but not with too much luck.

I received a package in the mail today with no return address.  I opened the package and there was a beautiful Cedar box, the size of a music box.  I opened the box but there was no music, there was nothing in the box except a mirror on the bottom, it was completely empty.  But as I gazed into the bottom of the box, much to my surprise, I could see a movie showing.  There were children playing and singing, then I realized it was me as a young girl playing with my two sisters and one brother.  At the time our ages were:  Me 13, Cassie 11, April 4 and Peter 6.

Then it changed to us playing music together with Dad.  We had formed a small musical group.  My Dad was the lead guitarist, I played the ukulele,  Cassie played the violin, and we sang harmony, April sang, she did not play an instrument, and brother Peter played the congo drums.   I must say we did looked and sounded good.  Dad felt music was good for us to grow up with so he taught us how to play our instruments except for Cassie, she had music classes.

We were at the Presidio in San Francisco playing for the hospital patients In was in the mens ward.  They were enjoying the music and us very much.  They made a few requests and luckily we knew the songs.  The one song that was requested was the Yellow Rose of Texas, which we didn't know.  Dad told them we would learn it and play it for them the next time we returned. 

I felt like I was in a dream and it was so real it made me feel warm all over and very comforting, then the movie ended.  I didn't want it to end so I closed the box and opened it again.    There we were again playing in the mens ward at the Presidio.  I could tell it was another day because our clothes had changed.  We were playing the Yellow Rose of Texas and we sounded fantastic.  At the end of our program they asked if we could sing it again, which we did.  It was a good feeling as we left the ward.  They appreciated us and our music very much.

We played for several wards there and were asked to return again and again.  Those were wonderful memories and dreams of my family and the closeness we once felt. 

Dad always said a family that plays together stays together.  As I closed the box I could feel as if my family were around me once again and my depression ended that day.

What beautiful dreams the Box of Memories left for me as I look forward to opening the Cedar box another day and see what dreams it holds for me.

Thank you Cedar box and the unknown person who sent it to me.

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