I looked at the old cedar chest. It’s little stumpy legs were in need of repair. The top was scratched in places, and even had a drop of nail polish on it. It had been my grandmother’s, then my mother’s, and now it was mine.

I lifted the lid. Inside, the chest looked as new as when my grandmother had used it for her hope chest. The coloring of the cedar was gorgeous, and I ran my hand over the wood. I imagined my grandmother filling the chest with clean linens for her wedding bed, and handmade pillowcases and doilies. She may have included a few necessities for the kitchen. It would have contained all her hopes and dreams for her married life.

My grandmother didn’t have an easy childhood, she was born in 1912, her family were not rich and she lived in a rural area. Transportation was a horse and wagon until the family could finally afford an automobile. Her mother was stern and demanding, and grandmother was raised by very strict standards. However, despite her stern upbringing, when she did fall in love, it was with a handsome, red-headed sailor that stole her heart away; he was as wild as the sea and not a straight-laced pastor or business man. So my grandmother had a bit of wildness in her, although it isn’t clear if she ever did anything even mildly risqué except wear stockings and beautiful dresses that hugged her figure when she went traveling to the city. And, oh, she loved the city, the trolley cars and tall department stores and restaurants.

I closed the chest and stood. When I looked at it now, all I could see was my beautiful grandmother, not an old cedar chest that needed to be cast away. “I love you, Grandma,” I said and left the room. That old cedar chest would probably be here when I die. Let my children deal with it then.

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Welcome to the daily Three Things Challenge.
Use your imagination and creativity using one, two or all three words that may or may not be related. There are no restrictions regarding length, style, or genre, though please keep it family friendly.

Tag your responses with 3TC, #threethingschallenge or TTC, and you can add my logo if you wish.

Your three words today are:
CLEAN
CLEAR
CEDAR

#3TC #threethingschallenge

Three Things Challenge #MM79