I had no idea it would impact me so deeply.
Oh me, with my strong resolve and control over my emotions. I’m not the soppy, sentimental type- I throw out birthday cards after their obligatory week on display and shed a tear very rarely. Man, I sound harsh!
But as I watched the princess bed being carried down my driveway and into a stranger’s car, I was deluged with a series of emotional memories. Snapshots of fifteen years worth of priceless moments involving that inanimate object.
My daughter Charlotte’s princess canopy bed.
Okay, it was actually nothing like this picture, but it was HER princess bed and I can still see the pure joy in her little face as a five year old who wanted nothing more than frills and swags and flowers and prettiness…
But now she’s twenty years old, and when she was home from Uni at Christmas, she tentatively mentioned it might be nice to bring the double bed upstairs from the guest room and into her bedroom to replace her teeny tiny twin bed. She was very gracious- its departure was probably at least five years overdue. I thought it was a great idea. But I was clueless as to the plethora of memories that piece of furniture had accumulated over the years…
… until it was dismantled and on its way to another little girl. I started replaying the myriad of emotions and special moments shared together with my Charlotte. From repeating the exact same prayers night after night as a kindergartner, to reading bedtime stories, playing Barbies, lamenting boys, discussing Universities- oh my, where did the time go?
For Charlotte, her bed was the place she shared secrets with her friends, unloaded in her journals, read, prayed, dreamed, worried, laughed and cried. It held her when she was sick and served as her girly sanctuary.
The frilly Laura Ashley pink swags were eventually stripped and the bedding replaced with a more mature teenaged look over the years, but it was still her princess bed. And now it belongs to another little girl- it thrilled my heart to give it to a pastor’s family. As a pastor’s kid myself, I know how much this will mean to her, and I know our faithful God will answer prayers at THAT bedside. Which is rather exciting!
So I’m okay now. Just needed to unload that today. Life is a series of changes, isn’t it? We adapt, we morph, we roll with them. Or not. Whatever your stage in life, embrace and enjoy. It’s okay to reminisce with fond memories and replay those precious moments- it’s a wonderful opportunity to see how good God is and take time to count our blessings.
For me, the princess bed has gone. But I have my memories…
and I still have my beautiful princess!
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So incredibly thankful…
