This morning, I went to a nearby house to buy a sewing machine I had seen listed online. When I arrived, I noticed a picture frame placed on the curb along with several other items marked “FREE.”
I messaged the seller to let him know I was outside, and he soon came out. While showing me the sewing machine, he mentioned that it had belonged to his grandmother, but he no longer had space to keep it.
As I walked back toward my car, my curiosity got the better of me. I pointed to the framed photograph sitting by the curb and asked him about the couple in the picture. He told me they were his grandparents. Hearing that made the moment feel even more special. I then asked if the sewing machine had also been his grandmother’s, and he confirmed that it was.
In that moment, I realized I was holding something far more meaningful than just a sewing machine. I was taking home an object that once belonged to Anne and Harry, along with their wedding photograph.
The seller went on to explain that he still had many of their photos and even their naturalization papers, but he simply had too many things to hold onto. That was why he decided to give the framed photo away—to make space, even though the memories remained.
Now, I have a sewing machine once used by Anne and a wedding photo capturing the love story of Anne and Harry—pieces of a life and history that might otherwise have been forgotten.
Credit: Giovanna Pati-Gentile
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