Train of Memories

I see you wavin'


Hear you say goodbye

Rollin' down the tracks

Of the tears you made me cry


Oh, train of memories

Oh, here it comes again


Oh, it's more than I can stand


No matter what I do


It brings me back to you

This train of memories

Sung by Kathy Mattea

Today, I was reminded of this song. When I walked into the room, my friend had a tissue in her hand dabbing the corner of her eyes. She told me that even though it had been one and a half years since her husband had passed away, that she still missed him everyday. She was cleaning out his man cave and was overtaken with grief. I asked her how I could help.

She took me in the workroom and showed me the woodworking equipment and the unfinished projects. She asked me to pack up a cabinet that was especially painful for her.

On the shelves I saw the miniature wood furniture for the dollhouses that he built, which was in various stages of assembly. The very small dresser drawers easily pulled out with the tiny handles. He chose the pretty floral pattern for fabric color on the chair seats. The construction of the four-poster bed was not quite complete. He had lovingly put each piece together, perhaps for his 10-year-old granddaughter or maybe even for the unborn granddaughter that he would never get to meet.

Tucked away on the far reaches of the top shelf were boxes with faint writing that I could barely read. I pulled the first one down and realized it was an unassembled post office. Then, I discovered a doctor’s office and a pharmacy. These were unusual pieces for a dollhouse. Then I saw another box—a boxcar. On the shelf behind it were the freight cars, the engine and caboose. I realized that he probably knew that his grandsons would want something that grandpa made, and wouldn’t want a dollhouse. So he intended to make them a wooden train set.

Today’s gift was to pack away each tender memory in a big box. She will ask her children’s spouses if they would like to continue a tradition of building dollhouses, train sets and other toys for their children. The train of memories can be painful when someone passes away, but friends can help wipe away the tears.

In Giving,

Robin