November 29, 2017 – P.S. I Love You

        My Mom left little notes and poems all through the items that she was leaving to me.  For example, I asked for the historical books of the town I lived in as a child, Berlin, Massachusetts, and all the surrounding towns.  All these historical books were tucked into the living room bookcase and Mom tucked in amongst them additional treasurers as well, such as the book I describe below.

        It is a small book entitled, P.S. I Love You, compiled by H. Jackson Brown, Jr. in which several pages were tagged with little yellow sticky notes. I knew those pages were meant just for me.

        The author introduces the book with: “The sight of the envelope with her distinctive handwriting always warms my heart, and I must confess that I turn to the last page and read the P.S. first.”  Over the years, Brown’s mother had written letters and always put a P.S. message at the end of each one.  The book is a compilation of the best of those.

Just like the author of the book, I understand the power of handwritten letters, especially from your Mom.  I have 40+ years’ worth to re-read and enjoy during my next 30 or 40 years.

       

        I’d given my Mom many books over the years and I didn’t recognize this one. When I gave my Mom books I always cut off the price tag on the inside sleeve or covered it with some sort of sticker.  I knew I hadn’t given this little treasurer to her as the price tag was half torn off and left messy which is not my style at all.  I do wonder where she got it – did she buy it herself – or was it a gift from a dear friend or family.  [Again, that mystery will be in the never know file.]

        Below are the pages Mom tagged just for me.  I hope they inspire you as well.

When it comes to enthusiasm,

be like a pilot light.

never go out,

If at the end of a day

you feel dog-tired,

maybe it’s because

you growled all day.

Aunt Bessie says one of the best things

about getting older is that all those things

you wanted and couldn’t afford when you were younger,

you no longer want.

The only thing that ever sat its way to success was a hen.

Promise only what you can deliver. 

Then deliver more than your promise.

A person who is always telling you how honest he is

probably has his own suspicions.

The greatest accomplishments

 in science and the arts

have been made by individuals acting alone. 

No park has a statue dedicated to a committee.

You don’t have to look far to see a miracle.

What could be more supernatural

than a caterpillar turning into a butterfly,

an egg yolk into a chicken,

an acorn into a mighty oak?

As they say in Texas:

If you’ve done it,

It ain’t braggin’.

Lyndon Johnson once said that

when anyone tells you he’s just a dumb old country boy,

put your hand on your wallet.

Your father says inflation hasn’t ruined everything. 

A dime can still be used as a screwdriver.