The Keepsakes - Short Story

Ananya and her husband were preparing to move into their new home.  They had started packing up the boxes to be moved.  There were also the older boxes from the attic that needed to be shifted.  Among those dusty boxes was an old cardboard box which had MEMORIES written on it.

When Ananya saw this box she stopped and stared at it before dropping everything in her hand and then moving toward the box.  She was suddenly excited and was opening the box like it was a birthday present.  She found a couple of slam books with old photographs of school and college friends, bunch of friendship bands, greeting cards, soft toys she had received as gifts packed a in plastic bag, some fairytale books, thriller novels, a wristwatch case with the warranty receipt still in it and an old umbrella.  All these things were really special to her each one had their own story but the most favorite item in the whole lot was a the old umbrella which had broken ages ago. She could not bring herself to throw it away and it had to be kept as long as she would live.

The slam books had stories of an era that was long gone or friends and adventures and also the first love and crushes.  It made her smile thinking of all the silly things they had done and the gossips and secrets they had exchanged. The friendship band reminded her of friends she had made, some of them still retained the glitter on them though even though they looked dusty. 

The greeting cards collected from childhood, were a huge bunch.  she had saved every card that she had got on every occasion- Birthdays, Valentines, Anniversary, New Year, Diwali, Holi, Christmas and even some really good Wedding invitations of friends.  The wristwatch case belonged to the first watch she had received from her husband as a valentines gift from before they had got married then her boy friend. The soft toys her best friends had gifted her.

But the most prized gift of all was the umbrella which was given to her by a most dear teacher - Madam Shelly.  Teacher Shelly had taught her English in school and was her favorite teacher.  Madam S had given her the umbrella because she has won first place in three competitions at a school fest - Elocution, Poetry and Essay writing.  Before the fest Ananya was nervous but it was Miss Shelly who told her that she could do anything that she puts her mind to and she was so right! She was responsible for imbibing the love for literature and language in Ananya.

It was a rainbow coloured umbrella and she absolutely loved it.  It was the most special gift she had ever received and was also the most prized possession.  She used it very carefully for years in rain and sun.  Until one rainy day when a strong gust of wind turned the umbrella inside out and broke couple of the frame wires. That was the saddest moment for her to see the lovely umbrella in a tattered state.  She got it fixed but then it did not last long. This was not just an umbrella but was her teachers blessing and love that inspired her in life. It was the most important item in the box of Memories. All thanks to Miss Shelly she was encouraged to become a writer and was an established journalist. Sadly her beloved teacher was now no more and the umbrella was all that was left of her. It reminded Ananya of the encouragement and saw it as a blessing and always came looking for it when in need of inspiration.

As for the memories, she had carried this box to her house after she got married.  It contained far too many precious memories to be left behind.  It was magical how every single time she opened the box she would go back in time. The box of memories was her little time transporter.