March 5

Creating a Hope Chest

"Hope" is the thing with feathers--that perches in the soul...~Emily Dickinson

Sarah didn't have a hope chest when she got married. Neither did I but then again I eloped. You might think that ship has sailed. Not hope, just the hope chest but it's never too late. My mother's hope chest was cedar lined and smelled wonderful. I'm sure the contents changed over the years and were quite different from when it was started to what's in it now. When I left home for university, it held her prom dress, wedding dress, baby clothes from each of her 4 daughters and more. Even though it probably started out as filled with items to create a new life, it ended up being filled with memories of the life she created. Years ago I bought a huge blue chest to store my life's memories from high school jackets, baby clothes, blankets and handmade sweaters. Now instead of a young woman's hope for a new life it's a grown woman's hope for grandchildren.

But Sarah wants you to start a different kind of hope chest for yourself. As simple as a small wicker basket filled with little projects for the future. Unique yarn for mittens, fabric for recovering chairs, books to read or what ever you want until you can set aside time to tend to them. You can make one for yourself and if you have a daughter, make one for her too and put in your favourite books by your favourite authors inside for her to read. It's never too late to start. Hopes and dreams are always in the making.