Books From The Past

It was just last week that I saw a box in our garage that on it I had written "Books", I wondered what books might be in this box and why hadn't I opened it long ago?  I found a few books that we had packed years ago with our move but just forgot, but then looking through the box I found 2 old books, Where did I get them and how long have I had them?

I like old things and old books always draw me to them, as I opened these books, I discovered they had belonged to my Grandmother, "my Nannie."

The first book was titled "Prophecies of Joseph Smith and the Fulfillment" by Nephi Lowell Morris.  She had written her name "Marie E. Jensen, Centerfield Utah" on the inside page, it was published in Salt Lake City by Deseret Book Company in 1920, this book that I am now holding is 100 years old,  as I was thumbing through this book I could see the age of the pages, most are very fragile, some are very yellow, but I notice the paper they used was a high quality grade, the book is a small size and the signature pages are sewn into the spine which helped this book age with some grace. I notice too that when my Nannie was reading this book and when she came across something she liked, she would underline that area with a red pencil, I just smiled when I saw that, for this is something I will do when I'm reading and come across something that I like or that touches my heart.

The second book is titled "In Search Of Truth" by John A Widtsor.  On the inside page she had written, "To Minnie, Mother Jensen", it was published in Salt Lake City by Desert Book Company in 1930. this book is 90 years old. This book is also small and is showing its age, the pages are yellow, the paper is a less quality grade and the signatures pages are glued and not sewn into the spine.  Minnie was married to my Uncle Lyle so she was my Aunt Minnie, I too have some dear memories of this aunt.

I feel a special warmth when I hold these old books from the past, Through the years my Nannie would share with me her thoughts and her feelings, she would give me advice and some times she would ask me to make her a promise, like not smoking or drinking,  I would learn her values and she would share life's lesson she had learned, she was the one that gave me the foundation of the gospel of Jesus Christ and the importance to live the gospel and always stay active in the the church, so you see, these books from her past, I feel a special warmth, not only when I hold them, but now I will put them on my list of books I'm going to read, I will cuddle on the couch with a warm blanket and feel my Nannie next to me as I read a book that was hers from the past.

You never know what you might find in a old box in your garage, it just might be something that brings warmth to your heart and sweet memories of someone who is very dear to you.... I'm enjoying these feeling and those memories now...