Grandma's Purse

I've inherited my mother's and my grandmother's passion for saving items. When I read Robin's post titled Questions  today I began to look around at all the eclectic collection of items in my house.  Most of them have some story behind them whether it be how I acquired it or who it belonged to. 
When my grandma passed away and my mom began the daunting task of sorting through about 70 years of accumulation.  And believe me my grandparents having lived through the depression saved everything! 
All of the grand kids including great grand kids were invited to come to the house to choose some items to keep.  The rules were that we drew names and we each went in to choose one item that had particular special meaning.  Once we each had one item we then could pick whatever else we wanted. 
When that day came I had no idea what I was going to choose.  I spent a lot of time with my grandparents growing up and they had so many neat treasures.  But what I wasn't prepared for the onslaught of grief while I watched my cousins carry one and then another of my grandparents treasured out of their house.  It just didn't seem right. It just hit me like a ton of bricks that my grandparents were gone. How could I possibly find just the right items to save to keep their memories alive?
Glancing around I spotted on their buffet in the kitchen Grandma's purse.  It had thin worn leather handles attached to the wicker purse.  I turned the buckle on the front and opened up the purse.  Inside was an eclectic collection of items that she carried with her when she left the house.  There were fingernail clippers and well worn emery board just in case you might have a nail issue.  If you had a clothing malfunction she had a mini sewing kit which included tiny scissors, buttons, safety pin, thread and needle.  Evidence that my grandparents were generous was a red poppy that you receive when you give a donation on Veteran's Day.  There was a card from a funeral that they attended of an elderly lady from the neighborhood.  Grandma was always making lists and on the back of an envelope was a to do list with polishing the car at the top something that she always made sure happened on a regular basis.  She also carried band aids for any small wounds that happened on the go.  There was a set of spare keys and a homemade IN CASE OF EMERGENCY card with important phone numbers handwritten on it.  There were a few other items in Grandma's purse.
Grandma's wicker purse sits on my dresser in my bedroom with all of the items remaining in the purse bot now years later I understand why I brought home that purse that day.