Tuesday, July 13, 2010

To be, not seem to be.

I love books, especially old ones. The ones that grab my attention are usually old, dusty hardback books. I love to thumb through the pages, find hidden treasures that someone left within the pages: a pressed flower, an old love letter, a lock of hair, a cherished one's obituary.
While perusing a sale this past weekend, I was picking up some books and came across this non-descript magazine, or what I thought was a magazine. I had opened it quickly and saw the word Glee in it and assumed it was an old magazine that the cover had been torn off of. Much to my surprise (and delight) I discovered later what I had bought was someone's 1924 graduating yearbook!

I was completely enthralled in my new treasure. I poured over the pictures, looking at each face, each signature, noticing the smudges of ink from the brush of someone's hand 80 years ago....

...it  has many life stories, recaps of events, poems about class members, well wishes to the departing graduating class...all providing a miniscule glimpse into the lives of these young people.

I remember gathering everybody's 'autograph' in my yearbooks and excitedly reading what they had written later.

Was Grace excited to read her yearbook after having passed it around? I almost felt guilty, like I was reading someone's diary...

...but not guilty enough to stop! Her name was Grace that owned this precious yearbook and how anyone could discard it or even put it in a garage sale is beyond me...perhaps someone had bought her home and didn't care to keep it..I can't even guess as to how it came to be on that table that day I was there. I have no blood connection to Grace but that doesn't matter, I am now the keeper of a small part of her history, a tiny fraction of 1924 in the United States, and in that regard we are connected. 

One of the things I love about history is the rich lessons it holds for us: the importance and value of faith, family, love, hardships and all that other stuff in between.
The 1924 class motto was, "To be, not seem to be."
TO. BE. AUTHENTIC. GENUINE. TRUE.
They sure were smart in 1924, weren't they?

Lisa :-)

9 comments:

saltbox
treasures
said...

Hi. Love your shop! I live in Brush Prairie. Didn't know you had a blog.
~ Julie

Andy's Attic said...

Very sweet post,Lisa. Graces' book is in good hands.
Annette

Karen said...

Lisa, that was a beautiful post! What a treasure, and what a wonderful thing for me to ponder as I go about my day! Great start to my day! Miss you! Karen

Sarah said...

Oh I LOVE old stuff like that. I seriously feel like I should have been born in the 1800's instead of the 1980's.

Out in the Fields said...

What a great treasure! I think it came into your hands because you would take such joy in it:) visited the shop yesterday and bought a little red rocker to use in my color challenge next week, I'm so excited!

Junebug Furniture and Design said...

Lisa, lovely post! I love history treasures too. Wishing you a fabulous show in July. Wish my girls and I could make it over but we are knee deep in wedding plans and yard work. xo glad & Cel/Junebug Design

Kindred Roses said...

It was fate that you stumbled upon such a treasure...Someone knew you would cherish it!!!
Blessings
Julie

Lisa of Lisa's Little House said...

This is why we love JUNK. The stories it tells, the memories it holds. Thanks for rescuing this lovely mememto from a simpler, GRACE-ful time.
And thanks for stopping by my new blog home...

Lisa of Lisa's Little House

Lisa of Lisa's Little House said...

PS...wish I was coming to Barn House this time...loved Vintage Gathering when I came down on Timi's inaugural junk bus run last year! I got some great stuff.

Lisa

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