Keepsakes Keep You Grounded

Thursday July 7th, 2005

Right now I am flying on Air Canada to Calgary we first took an Air Canada from Ottawa to Toronto from there we took another Air Canada #45A which I'm flying on right Now at this moment and on my way to Calgary. Earlyer today when we were on our first flight I met a girl named Ashley, she's real nice and we've become friends. I also met a guy named Curtis on my second flight, he's nice, we haven't quite become friends yet, but maybe we will. And camp hasn't even started yet! What I'm really looking forward to is white water rafting. On the air plane we're so high in the sky that you can't even see the ground, it almost feels like that there's no gravity. Well that's all I can think of. I'll write again tomorrow. 

                                                                   Bye, L8er

Notice all the spelling mistakes? The grammar? The lack of punctuation? Yep, that was my writing. I typed it out exactly as it is written in the journal entry - might I add, that is the only journal entry besides one other entry that consists of maybe 4 sentences. I did stick to my word and write the next day! Don't you notice how much my writing  ability has changed? :P

Ironically, a couple days ago while digging through boxes, bags and closets of CRAPOLA  for my yard sale this Saturday I found a keepsake box that my Mom had given me when I was young. No, it's not one of those sentimental moments when I found a bunch of my Mom's old stuff - we aren't THAT movie-esque. In the box I found some old mementos from my childhood, just a few things such as my first and only rosary, my first communion book, this really cool egg shaped rock I got from my best friend and a few notebook pages from when I went to Kananaskis in Alberta. (If you must know, Kananaskis is one of the Tim Horton Camps that many kids get sent to, I don't know how I became so lucky....but it happened)

It has been 8 years since I wrote that. I can't believe it. I was only 12, merely a pre-pubescent teen. Do I ever not miss those days! Time goes by so quickly and it isn't until you're just past your teen years to realize that. 

I never really thought about the excitement of digging up the past. I spend a lot of my time thinking about now and what's going to happen after now, seldom do I look back to the old days. Many of those days I don't miss a bit but there are some days (like camp) that I miss. It's kind of good to look back at that stuff. With all that life is throwing toward me these days, it's things like that which keep me grounded and less stressed about the future. It reminds me of the reasons I am what/who I am as well as what my future might hold. 

Speaking of the future, a couple weeks ago I wrote a letter to myself, put it in an envelope, sealed it and wrote on the envelope "Do not open until you're 25." I know it's another 5 years until that happens, but maybe I should apologize to future me for probably bringing back memories I'll be hiding in the back of my mind. I look forward to some good laughs on it though. 

Dear 26  year old me, 

If you're reading this, you probably remember reading that letter to your 25 year old self. What were you thinking?

Sorry for any bad memories.

Sincerely the Me from 2013

What do you think your future holds? Any memory boxes of sorts you keep to stay grounded? I'd love to know!