There were several objects I looked forward to seeing each time I went to my grandmother’s place: a tiny little Tonka truck that didn’t look like anything I played with at home, a family of wooden elephants from Africa that used to be lined up by size in her china cabinet, discolored pictures of my grandfather, my parents’ wedding day and of my grandparents as children that cluttered the shelves in the small office, and, finally, a full collection of Encyclopedia Americana books that I loved to pull out and look through.
These books are more than just the look, feel, smell and content of their pages. They represent my childhood, my passions, my vision for myself and my profound love for my family. When my grandmother moved to a smaller apartment two years ago, I asked her whether I could have the books, the Tonka truck, the elephants and a picture of my grandfather holding me in his arms when I was about a year old.
From my heart to yours.