A present from the past

Over the weekend I stopped in the Goodwill store. I usually buy my books there for
seventy cents each. When I got home I discovered a folded peice of paper tucked between the pages. There were two names and phone numbers. The handwriting resembled my late mom's and gave me a chill-thrill for a moment. Then I discovered a memento from the 1940's. It was a selective service card that had probably been used as a bookmark. I phoned the top number, but the man did not answer, so I phoned the number at the bottom. Diana answered with a cheery hello. Her voice sounded like my writer friend, Dianna, but it wasn't.

I explained how I had come across the family memento which was faded and worn,
probably carried in a wallet for years. I could barely make out the name on the card, in fact, I read the first letter of the last name incorrectly. When Diana asked if it could be a "C" instead of a "P", I realized it was.

She said, "That's my grandfather!" I asked if he had lived on Edwards in the city and I could hear the excitement in her voice, "YES!"

I asked if she wanted me to mail it to her, and her response warmed my heart. "Yes, it will be like a receiving a present."

I thought, "Present from the past, an heirloom."

I hope when she holds that business card-sized fragile document in the palm of her hand, she feels her grandfather's kiss on her cheek, smells his unique scent or perhaps the aroma of spaghetti sauce simmering in a pot on Edwards Street. I hope she has a happy memory of him. I hope he is still alive and well.

This might seem inconsequential in the grand scheme of life, but it is my belief that we are all somehow connected, and there is a reason for everything. My grandfather came from Italy. I wonder if Diana's did too.

I hope that this family treaure will have a ripple effect and keep touching others in her family, perhaps mend a fence or make someone smile.

Blessings to you Diana if you are reading this.