October 12, 2008. Chevy Chase, Md. Belongings.

It was infuriating reading the letter. So many questions arose in my mind, but no answers could be given. My Mother received a letter from her Mother saying that she felt so fortunate to have shed all her belongings, and she was moving east to be with dear Miriam, arriving only with some clothes. Now I do not know whether she was trying to convince herself that this was a good thing, or was so genuinely happy to have no earthly belongings to worry about. I know she was very religious, but I also know that her Family lived in a lovely home in Victoria, B.C., and before they left England their home was lovely and large. But at some point, she decided that enough was enough, and she got rid of all the belongings. I want to know how she did it? And how did she convince herself that this was a good idea? I found this letter in some of Mother's papers, and I have wondered about it ever since. I have nothing at all of my Grandmother's belongings, and now I understand why. I know that at one time she had many lovely objects, but she she got rid of everything. Now she lived to be 95, and at the time of the letter she was about 65.

Now, when we lived in Vancouver, my Grandmother lived with us every winter. At that time, she lived in Winnipeg with her elder daughter, Miriam. Winnipeg is very cold and Grandmother was thin and had arthritis, so Vancouver was easier on her system to live in Vancouver with us. Then when we moved to Toronto, she lived with us all the time. She had very few items when she moved in with us. She would bring her books and her clothes and one coat. Everything she owned could fit into a very small closet and one three drawer chest. I did not think anything about it. When you are a busy teenager in an active Salvation Army family, my grandmother with no belongings never seemed unusual. But one thing I always thought was unusual. She always used a sterling silver spoon with her cup of tea. One day I asked my Mother why Grandma always liked her special spoon. I was responsible for making and serving the tea, and sometimes I had to search out that spoon. My Mother's response was that Mother reminded herself of happy times. So evidently she shed all her belongings, except for one. Her silver tea spoon stayed with her for the rest of her life. I wish I had known all about these things while she lived with us. But I was young and busy, and she was old and a very proper Victorian lady. She certainly would have never disclosed her inner thoughts to a young person. For her, everything was just fine, and God is good, and she was very grateful with her life. But I wonder about what she really felt about, getting rid of all her beautiful objects. I will never know.