Educating the young on the principle of value . . .

Continuing on the subject of keeping parent’s things, let me ask you this:

When did you start saving things? Did you take it upon yourself to put something in a safe place for the sake of saving it? Did you have some future plans for the item, such as to use it again? In the good old days, girls had ‘Hope Chests’, also called a dowry chest.  It was used to collect items such as clothing and household linen by unmarried young women in the planning and saving for marriage. The collection of a trousseau was a common coming-of-age rite until approximately the 1950s; it was typically a step on the road to marriage between courting a man and engagement.

I was curious to see if hope chests are still popular and was amazed that they are. I Googled hope chests and found a plethora of sites offering all kinds of sizes and styles of chests. But I want to know if today’s millennium generation even care about hope chests, because what I read today about how they are not interested in their parent’s things, why would they want a hope chest?

Then I read this statement found at http://www.ehow.com/about5081518_significance-hope-chest.html

“The tradition of keeping a hope chest for young, unmarried

women has waned in popularity since the 1950s. With more women choosing to marry later in life or not at all, many women begin their households long before they seriously contemplate marriage. However, there is a growing resurgence in interest in the tradition of keeping a hope chest among traditionalists and those seeking to return to societal rituals of the past.”

This is good news. However, saving and putting things away for marriage or that rainy day needs constant reinforcement by the older generations who have grown up with the understanding that saving and preserving family history is vital to the survival of not only the family, but the individual. Here are a few right-on quotes that will open the eyes and minds of everyone who read them:
“Keep some souvenirs of your past, or how will you ever prove it wasn’t all a dream?”

You live as long as you are remembered.  Russian proverb

People will not look forward to posterity who never look backward to their ancestors.”     Edmund Burke 

"Do not forget things your eyes have seen or let them slip from your heart as long as you live. Teach them to your children and your children's children." Deuteronomy 4:9

You can find a lot of old memories when you clean out your closet.

"Preserve, Protect, Display. Create your Family Museum today!"

Family Museum Creator

I will be on a holiday for the next two weeks, so while I am gone, please read some of my past posts and send in your comments. Thanks again for visiting my Blog.          Liz