Yo u r W o r d s
What is your most cherished family heirloom?
A doorjamb from my grandparents’ home. It has the annual measurements of all the children and grandchildren by name and year. @TORYENCLE AN
A set of two large seashells. My father brought them home from the South Pacific, where he served in the United States Army during World War II. KRIS L ASHER, ANAHEIM HILL S, CALIFORNIA
An old Nancy Drew book, No. 54 to be exact, that my father’s high school English teacher signed. It reads, “Dear Jacquelyn, As I write this, you’re sitting on your daddy’s lap drinking a bottle. I hope when you’re old enough, you enjoy this book. You have a great daddy. Have a wonderful life.” In 30 years, it’s never left my side. JACQUELYN SCHWIT TER, LOUISVILLE, KENTUCKY
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A collection of songs from my great-grandma that were passed down the line to me. I sing them to my children in hopes that they one day sing them to theirs. Each time my girls and I sing them, I can hear my grandma and mom. Songs might not be a tangible item, but to me they’re priceless! AMY ERRANTE
18 RE AL SIMPLE DECEMBER 2017
My grandfather dug up an opal in Mississippi. He took some jewelrymaking classes and created a beautiful heartshaped necklace for my grandmother. It’s my favorite. DANA BE TSILL , MARIE T TA , GEORGIA
#WOMENIRL My greatgreat-greatgrandmother’s handwritten diary from 1869. Her penmanship is so beautiful.
“ TO D D L E R + LO N G A N D F U N DAY = FA L L I N G A S L E E P W I T H A B O O K O N YO U R FAC E . ” @ T H E ST U D I O B P H OTO
NEXT QUESTION...
TINA S. MYERS, WEB STER, NE W YORK
What product or strategy helps you get out the door quicker?
A telegram from my mother to my father. In 1943, she was a young woman who had never traveled outside Louisiana and took a leap of faith to travel across the country to marry a young man who was in cadet training in Pasadena, California. Halfway there, she sent a telegram to tell him when she would arrive. And their story began. They were married for more than 60 years.
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KRISTI McCLEND ON, OMAHA , NEBRASK A
My grandfather’s first driver’s license. It was printed on cloth. He gifted it to me because of my passion for genealogy. R AC H E L R E I N , C A L I F O R N I A
