Tangible

  I do enjoy the posts about nostalgic things. This morning I saw one about making an octopus doll. They were quite the rage in the 1950's, according to that post. The post included a picture of the doll along with the instructions for making one. Now, I never made one, but I'm certain my sister did. I remember one in bright yellow being on her bed. I was taken back in time when I saw that post. I was also reminded of making those pot holders on a little metal loom using those stretchy cloth loops. That was something I did with my sister quite a bit. Yes, I played with my sister in my younger years, as my brothers where four and six years older than I, and I was just a little kid. That would have been in the late fifties, early sixties. 

  I did read the instructions on how to make that doll. I was surprised to read that you filled the head with kapok. Now that word took me back a bit as well, haven't heard any mention of kapok in a very long time. In fact, the only known use I was aware of was in making life jackets. Perhaps you remember when they made those big bulky looking things, usually in bright orange. They were filled with kapok. I wondered if kapok was still available and it turns out, it is readily available. It is often used for stuffing pillows and for crafting. I really thought it was one of those materials of the past. The rest of the doll is simply yarn and ribbon. I laughed as I read the instructions. There were no warnings included about all the dangers involved, no warning about eating the yarn or ribbon. The instructions simply say, braid the yarn into eight legs. No warning about getting carpal tunnel from doing that too long without rest. 

  I am amused when reading all that stuff because it takes me back in time. I'm experiencing that in the first person. It's amusing because it isn't old to me, but it is old. It's a reminder of what used to be. Then I feel compelled to recreate that time. But we all know you can't really do that, the past is the past and there it remains. Oh it's familiar alright, doesn't seem that distant, but it is an unreachable destination. You can't go back. You can bring the past with you however and share it today. It is something we all do on a subconscious level. Sometimes we even try to pass that off as something new, as some secret knowledge only we have. But really it is something we learned a long time ago.

  Tangible memories. Those are the things we bring from the past or recreate in the future. They go by many names, artifacts, mementos, nick-knacks or bric-a- brac. One mans junk, another mans' treasure. That treasures' value lying in the memory. I've heard where songs are often remembered long after other memories fade. I'm certain that is for the same reason, the memories that the song brings. I expect certain passages from books will do the same. Tangible memories are those things that have touched our souls in some fashion. Often we are not aware of that touch. This morning when I saw that posting I was touched, rather became aware of that touch, in seeing that doll. My sister touched me. It wasn't startling in any way, it was familiar. Perhaps the past isn't unreachable after all.  

                                                                                 

Do you remember ?