Merry Christmas Stephen.
I know that you value keepsakes. I do too. That’s something you and I have in common.
For me, keepsakes give me a connection to good memories. Something I can look at and touch now to help me remember and to feel what it was like to be in a place, or to be doing something I enjoyed… or most importantly, to remind me of people who are or were important to me.
Keepsakes have a special value when someone gives a keepsake of their own to someone else. When someone has a keepsake that is important to them, and they give it to you, it’s a way for them to connect to you in a very personal and lasting way.
It’s a way to tell you that they love you in a way that you will always remember.
Every time you see or touch that keepsake, it should be a reminder that the person who gave it to you loves you.
You have always shown a lot of interest in my fishing lures. We talked about them last summer, and I told you that they were one of my most important keepsakes. My grandfather gave me many of the lures. My dad gave me most of the others. They gave them to me when I was about your age.
It was a way for them connect to me by sharing their love of fishing with me through the lures. When I fished with these lures, a part of me always remembered that my dad and grandfather loved me.
I’m not a kid now, and I’ve only used the lures a couple of times in the last 20 years. I’m giving my lures to you now for two reasons.
Firstly, I know you will use them. These lures were meant to be used. It was always when I was fishing with them that I felt the connection to my dad and grandfather the most.
Sitting on a shelf in the closet now, I rarely even see them to remind me. But every time I see you fishing with them, or hear about you fishing with them, or see a photo or video of you fishing with them… it will remind me of the connection I shared with my dad and grandfather…
… and that I now share with you.
I also know that giving them to a special kid in my life, who will use them to become a better fisherman is exactly what my grandfather would have wanted… and I know it will make my dad happy as well.
Secondly, and more importantly, Stephen, I’m giving these to you because you are very important to me, and I want you to always know that I love you.
Whether I’m with you or I’m far away, and no matter how much time passes between talking to or seeing each other, I want you to always know and remember that. Let these lures, that are so important to me, be your reminder. I hope you will keep them for a very long time.
-Lemmie
Lemuel's Ramble 