I Wonder if he Returned

Corey amaro WWI postcard
 

"Ma Chère", The letter begins like many others with a tender greeting. Though the force of the words that followed were like none I had ever read… Was this postcard from her beloved, suffering beyond her reach? Had she held this post card close to her heart though it stabbed with jagged edges?  

"Par quel miracle" (By what miracle) he was alive in body this much she knew to be true, but at what price had his spirit paid?

 

 

                            WWI postcard

 

 

Years ago I found these French WWI postcards at the brocante written in pencil by "Eugene". My daughter, Chelsea at the time read them and gasped, "Mom, did you read these! They are from a man from WWI to his wife."

I raced back to the place where I had purchased the three cartes postales. I wanted to buy the box of things I had left behind… I couldn't bear thinking how I had separated them after all these years. Somethings are meant to stay together.

 

 

                        

     Where love is gathered courage grows.

I wonder if he returned? I wonder if his words ever caressed her face like his kisses had? I believe they did… the box I was able to buy is full of tenderness.

Photos: A collection of hope from the box I bought. Postcards, a ribbon untied, some dried flowers and a piece of lace.



Comments

8 responses to “I Wonder if he Returned”

  1. Diogenes

    How right you are…they are meant to stay together.

  2. I traced the history of my 91 year old Aunt’s cousin, Hadley Browning, who was killed in France in WWII. Auntie Charlotte had no idea what had happened to him, she just knew he had been killed in the war. I found out where he died, where he was buried in France and found out (online from the U.S. Army) that his father had his body disinterred and sent back to Providence, R.I., where he now rests in the Swan Point Cemetery. We found is grave and I took my 91 year old Auntie Charlotte to see it. His head stone says that he was killed in France during WWII. Hadley’s father had fleur de lis carved into the headstone. Last November, on the anniversary of his death, I put an antique French flag and a U.S. flag at his grave. Someday I hope to see the exact site where he was buried in France. He was an only child. It must have broken his dad’s heart. Hadley must have been quite a guy. In the early 1930’s he rode his Harley Davidson motorcycle across the U.S.

  3. Your post takes me back to ’79. My dad sold my grandmother’s small farm house in Virginia because sadly she passed in a local nursing home. The house, my grandfather, a carpenter, built. Everything went. Her wood-fed stove. Her side board with a flour mill. The bed where she bore 6 children, where her only daughter, a twin, Eleanor, did not survive. My memories of summer vacations with her are still strong. She could skin a rabbit or squirrel in minutes. Grandmom whipped up the best biscuits that could only be topped with her jam. She was beautiful. She raised 5 boys! But, everything went in that sale, sadly. Even, the violins my grandfather made. I have often thought I should run an ad in the local paper to see if any of the older people might remember the sale and have something I could buy back. Maybe, I should let it go?

  4. I am so happy you went back and were able to capture this love in a box.

  5. This makes my heart ache. My sister is about to sell our parents home, but I do have some things. Run the ad! If no one replies you will be where you are now, except you will know you tried. Good luck!

  6. My post was in reply to Debra. But to Corey, I too am happy you were able to buy the entire box. Such a touching story.

  7. I agree with carol you have to ask….maybe just maybe something remains….

  8. Carol & g, thanks for your reply!

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