Remember my post from last about the washer eating my sock. Today, I got a call from our local supermarket to inform me that a set of keys had been turned in to them- the store member card identified them as mine. I had not lost keys but was intrigued so I hurried over to the store. While the clerk was retrieving them she told me that the man who turned them in had bought something at the Swannanoa Valley Museum rummage sale over the weekend and the keys were in the box. As soon as I saw them I recognized as the set my Mom lost four years ago- a year before she passed away. We tore the house apart of three different occasions looking for these keys. She was 95 years old and did not want to feel like an old lady who lost things!
A feeling of closure for the mystery and bittersweet to get her everyday keys returned to me. The keys came back maybe my sock will also . Life sometimes can be stranger than fiction.
mountainmae 
The perfect order of the Universe.
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Wouldn’t it be nice to find out where all lost things went? Such a satisfying ending to the keys mystery and nice remembrance of your mother.
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Surely a special moment for me. I do still wonder about the land of lost socks!
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Wonderful story. What a nice guy, too, to return the keys to the supermarket! And they were the keys to your reconnection with Julia. Yep, your mom was definitely trying to tell you something.
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A fortunately I got the message- I love that they were sitting in the museum all this time.
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Very poignant, Mountainmae. Short and sweet.
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A special moment for me. In my book of midlife experiences.
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That is just dear. Unlocking a mystery.
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And unlock the front door and a spare mailbox key. To add to the strange I have tried reproduce the front door key three times and could never get a reproduction to work. Next time I lock myself out (I know there will be a next time) I won’t have to break-in through a window again.
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That is one of the wildest stories I’ve heard in a while. I bet your Mom is laughing right now.
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This is such a great story. It seems like it belongs in a book. 🙂
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One of the wonderful blessings I have received from blogging is learning to write these stories. Doing it for a reason makes more sense to me. I never knew I had so much to say! Role models like you help also.
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Life is strange and sometimes in the most fantastic ways…I’m glad a little piece of your mom made it’s way back to you..
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Although I now live in her house – holding her everyday keys feels really special.
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I understand. I just recently lost my dad and I understand totally.
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Losing a parent is really hard and disconcerting. Losing the second parent left me feeling like an orphan. Realizing that made me the family matriarch was just scary.
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I bet. Life is a lot easier when you can just blend into the shadows and let someone else be in charge; be the responsible one…the adult and then you look around and find you are the one everyone is looking to..becuase now it is your turn and there is nobody to run to.
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I am always amazed at how the universe sends us messages. Imagine how many we probably are being sent but our minds are racing and don’t recognize them for what they are.
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I have wondered how many messages I miss- this one was just to loud to miss!
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When things like that happen I get a shiver down my spine and a feeling of awe at this world and how big AND small it is, all at the same time!
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I am still amazed and touched to be able to hold her everyday keys.
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That is amazing and what a shock after so long. Good luck finding the sock.
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And I finally have a spare key to the mailbox. The store was so pleased to be able to return them.
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Wow! That is so weird. Reminds me of something I read on someone else’s blog about a camera that was returned to someone after three years. It’s odd how these things happen. They will usually happen when you need something good in your life. You’ll probably get the sock back in about 5-10 years 😉
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When I would get frustrated or upset about something, Mom always said in three years you’ll laugh about this. Sometimes it takes a little longer to see the humor but it always happens. I’ll keep looking for that sock.
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what a strange experience. It must have felt a little surreal! I wouldn’t hold out too much hope on the sock though – I’m telling you it’s gone into an alternate universe.
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Surreal is a good word for it. Actually it gets more so- when I was walking to the car holding them- asking if there was a message and I felt strongly I should call Mom’s friend Julia. She had broken her hip and had gone to rehab doing pretty well. I called and found out she had taken a turn of the worse. She was now at home with hospice. i’m going over this morning.
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I’m honoring you for asking and responding so beautifully. Namaste.
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