Most attics are really strange; musty, dark and scary.
Not the kind of place you ever want to spend your day.
But sometimes when need drives you into these odd places
Things long forgotten find you, and help you on your way.
It was this strange encounter Hannah stumbled into
as she climbed the attic steps to meet her Momma’s request.
She needed decorations to add to festive cheer
nearly perfect down below with Christmas almost here.
After searching long and hard, she was empty handed
and turned to leave the room without the things requested.
That’s when she saw it, on the flap of a dusty box
a message written clear and bold: “HANNAH’S CHILDHOOD”
Now Hannah should have understood the wonder of that moment
but it’s often true we cannot see things well while they’re unfolding.
So Hannah casually flipped the flap on that old, dusty box
and looked inside to find the head of her fuzzy blanket fox.
She hadn’t seen that blanket for nearly twenty years
long before her marriage vows, her new home, and first kid.
But there it was in all it’s reddish-orangish luster
compelling her to finish opening up the lid.
She had grown up long ago and embraced her full life
with many treasured things, forgotten as ‘mom’ and ‘wife’.
But almost without thinking her hand moved to the lid
opening that portal to her past as just a ‘kid’.
There they were all waiting like a moment had not passed
Her box of polished gems, her beads, shells and treasured things.
And then, buried at the bottom, under everything
was her bin of toys: dogs, dragons, bears and sweet bunnies.
She knew immediately, who had really called her
from the dark bottom of that bin
Her favorite stuffed animal of all,
It was Cody, it was him!
For years he’d laid beneath the pile, a forgotten toy
stowed away in loneliness, removed from Hannah Joy.
And yet, despite it all he seemed to smile with content
Like he’d known all these years about this special moment.
A tear escaped from Hannah’s eye, landing on the pile
though, not sad exactly, as it came with a small smile.
Cody. Her sweet Cody. He was right where she’d left him
stowed safely in this attic in her memory bin.
She was happy as she grabbed him, feeling five again,
and spun with glee, in the dark, and laughed with pure delight.
Then her son appeared beside her in that private place.
He saw his mommy dancing with joy upon her face.
Curiosity drew him, “What is mommy doing?”
Then he saw Cody, and felt somehow he knew him.
“Can I have him Mommy?” he asked, in his sweet small voice
reaching up toward his mommy with longing, hopeful hands.
How had she never understood until this moment
the truth and power of childhood memories, of love?
She knew now, understanding, handing Cody to him,
afterall, she’d subconsciously named her son after her friend from the toy bin.
Tears flowed freely as she loved her boy and saw his awe struck smile
And handed him her favorite toy from beneath that forgotten pile.
He trotted off with bursting hope, while Hannah was beholding
her sweet Cody clutching Cody, new adventures now unfolding.
johnallenbishop 