Puzzles my Mom Left Behind

I found a box at my Mom’s house, full of old cards, photographs, and letters. I learned things my Mom never told me about her from that box. Many things intrigue me. Some things, I’m not ready to think about yet. Here’s one card I liked. It’s printed on thick velum, tea and sunlight stained. It’s hard to read, so I’ll write it here:

To Comfort You. May the sympathy of others give you strength and courage, too and bring you comfort in the loss of one so dear to you.

With sincere sympathy and heartfelt understanding

And handwritten, was this note,

I know how very heartbroken you must be at this time, and you have my sincere Sympathy and Love. My prayer is that God may comfort you and keep you.

With Love,

Grandma W

No date, no year, no mention of who she is grieving for. I’m guessing — but pretty sure this one is for Joyce. At first, I assume the card is from my Mom’s Mom. And I think — how precious that Grandma sent

this card. Because, if my Mom was grieving for someone — so was my Grandma. But as I type this, I

realize that Grandma would not have signed the card “Grandma W” to her daughter. So, maybe this is from my Dad’s Grandma?

It would have been nice to go through this box with her, while she was still here. Imagine the conversation we’d have. She’d tell me about the day Joyce died. She’d tell me something I didn’t know about Grandma W. And, then we’d move onto something else.

Just more of the many questions I can’t ask my Mom. If your Mom is still with you, ask her to go through her box with you. A gift for both of you on Mother’s Day.