A Shadow Box of Memories

When I was about 12 years old I received a German shadow box as a birthday gift. Measuring 24 inches high and 18 inches wide, this wooden frame of sorts consisted of multiple slots of varying sizes. Despite the rather simple design, this was one of my most valued possessions. Over the years, this shadow box became a treasure trove of trinkets marking everything from travel destinations to cherished friendships. There were even a few antique pieces added to the mix. Like a carefully curated museum display, each of the spaces in my shadow box were filled with purpose and intention.

As the years passed, I kept adding to my shadow box. At times, older pieces were replaced by newer ones, which represented a more recent experience or accomplishment.  Throughout perpetual moves growing up, I continued to refine my collection. With each move this shadow box was one of the first things to grace the walls. Even after marriage and children, my shadow box always got top billing in each of our homes.  

Some of the treasured pieces which stood the test of time include:

• an antique salt & pepper set that my grandfather purchased while he was working in Japan, following World War 2. 

• a mooing cow toy that I got from my "adopted" Oma & Opa when I was about 3-4 yrs old

• a Precious Moments figurine a childhood friend gave to me

• an edelweis flower I got on a hike in the Dolomite mountains in Italy

• a handmade alpaca my husband got for me while he was working in Peru

Unfortunately, I lost my shadow box of memories during our house fire in 2023. While everything in our home was considered a

“total loss” due to fire, smoke or water damage, some things were much harder to part with. My shadow box fell into that category. There was no way I could duplicate the experiences I had over the years as I methodically gathered my collection of memories. 

After nine long months of reconstruction, we were finally able to move back into our home, which was harder than I thought it would be. While we had all the basics - furniture, rugs, curtains, dishes, etc; there were still empty spaces in our home, marking empty spaces in our lives. 

Not long after we moved back into our home, my Mom stopped by with a birthday/housewarming gift. As I tore off the wrapping paper, I saw what looked like another shadow box. It’s actually a drawer from an antique printer’s desk, but it has slots similar to my original shadow box. Each slot in this drawer held a different letter or symbol used in printing. It’s a beautiful piece and I wanted to be excited about this gift from my mom. It was just a little overwhelming, so I tucked it away in the attic until the time was right. 

Yesterday, I decided the time was right. I went up to the attic, brought the new shadow box down and hung it up in our hallway. I have to admit, it is the perfect addition to our wall, creating one less empty space in our home. Gathering some trinkets I had around the house I was able to fill 11 of the slots, which breathed some life into this new shadow box. My husband assures me that we’ll have all the experiences we need to fill the remaining spaces. Considering I still have 136 slots to go, that’s a pretty lofty goal, but it’s one I’m very much looking forward to as we begin curating new memories -  memories to fill our lives, our hearts and our shadow new box.