Anushka Reddy Week 13: Box of Memories




In my room, concealed in the back of my closet, there lies a box. This box may look ordinary but to me, means the whole world. This box is filled with pieces of memories consisting of birthday cards, small handwritten notes, heart-shaped gum wrappers people would make for me, arcade tickets from years ago, old school IDs, photo booth strips, and much more—fragments of time that seem trivial to most, but priceless pieces of treasure to me. I occasionally take this box out and look through it, taking a trip down memory lane.

Opening the lid and rereading or looking at each piece of memory transports me to a new world. Each birthday or Christmas card still carries the same warmth and laughter even if it has been many years since. I can almost hear the echo of “Happy Birthday!” through the voice of my friend’s child voice from years ago and her wide smile from when she used to have braces. The arcade tickets remind me of when I went laser tagging for my friend’s 11th birthday party in 6th grade and the joy and laughter that day brought. The school IDs over the years reflect how much I have changed over the years, both physically and as a person. 

As I celebrated another birthday just this weekend, I had the honor of adding more to the box. As I delved through the old stuff in the box, a sense of great nostalgia washed over me as I continued to dig further rediscovering and recalling old memories and events. This box also serves as a reminder that I am cared for and loved by many as well as my growth as a person over the years. It is more than just a small memory—each item tells a story. It represents all I have left of some people, while the items from others continue to grow.

Comments

  1. Keshavi KanagalingamMarch 23, 2024 at 7:34 AM

    Hi Anushka!
    I really enjoyed reading your blog about your memory box, which although may seem like any other box actually contains years of memories! I specifically like the detail you included when describing the contents of your memory box, such as how revisiting specific memories by looking through the box makes you feel, and the picture you included as it provides a thorough explanation of your memory box and what makes it so important to you.

    I do not have a designated memory box of my own; however, after reading how much significance it has in your life, I am definitely inspired to start collecting items from important times in my life and storing them in an easily accessible and distinguishable place. However, my family and I do store countless cards, photographs, and albums in the bottom drawer of my parent’s dresser. A significant amount of these cards are those I received for my own birthdays (starting from as early as my 1st birthday) and of photographs from before I was even born. Hence, similar to how your memory box serves as a way for you to discover potentially forgotten parts of your life, I have been able to learn more about my past, as well as my family’s past, through looking through this drawer!

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