Sorting through her belongings was a task that I personally did not take part in, but this painful job was completed by my mother and my Aunt Kathleen. Nanny had a fairly large, two story, 3 bedroom house with a full basement and attic that she had lived in most of her adult life. In that very house she raised her family, witnessed her husbands last breath, and helped raise me and my brother after our parents divorced. The house had been the one steady, common place for all family get-togethers and the setting for many birthday parties, holiday celebrations, graduations and other such gatherings. One can only begin to imagine the memories tied to that beloved home and all that filled it. Nanny had lots of room and lived a long life; she left a lot of precious memories and personal effects behind when she parted from this world.
After months of sorting through it all, my mother set aside a few of nanny’s belongings she thought I might like to have. There were several large cardboard boxes leftover, even after holding a house sale, and mom asked that I sort through them with her. That is where I first encountered the calling cards. They were kept in a small, thick blue cardboard box, which appeared to have at one time contained Jewlery. The box was yellow with age and smelled musty, like an old book. I was surprised to find a stack of “signature cards” inside and as I went through them, it became obvious that these were Nanny’s friends from high school. In addition to the cards I also found a few lunch passes from South High School (dated Feb 10 and Feb 11 1936) and an invitation to high school graduation commencement scheduled to take place on June 19th 1936 at Carnegie music hall. Instantly, I became overwhelmed with a strong sentiment that I cannot quite describe. Nanny kept these cards for so many years and they must have been very dear to her. As I looked over each of the embossed names, I realized that when every card had last been in the possession of it’s originally owner, he or she had been fresh out of high school; each young life just beginning to unfold. Those represented on the cards had long ago passed through the dawn of their earthly lives and are now in the twilight of life’s journey. I felt overcome with feelings of, fascination, admiration, and an overpowering curiosity; I truly wanted to know what became of each person and what could be learned from their experiences.
The Bible tells us that God has a purpose for each one of us and that we are wonderfully made. It is no coincidence that I have found these cards... I feel I am "called" to reunite each card with its original owner or if that’s not possible, with a close family member. It is my personal mission to pursue this quest in an effort to serve God’s purpose and to be a blessing to others.
