voices from the past

A dear old friend died recently.  We haven't seen each other in years; she and her husband were sort of mentors to us when we lived in Africa with our young family. I was surprised to learn she was 90;  it's hard to take in how the years slip by and friends grow older, especially if we don't see each other in person.

Jean was always so gracious, good at hospitality, caring, and writing letters. We kept up through the years.

"Back in the day" we would use cassette tapes as letters, especially when we lived in Africa. It was a forerunner of Skype (that may be a stretch, LOL). 

In my ongoing work of sorting through old things and cleaning out, I've come across a box of cassette tapes. And yes, we still have a cassette player.

Some of us struggle more than others with the sentiment involved in keeping or tossing. 

I was glad that I had kept these up to this point, and as I listened 

to some of them I loved hearing the voices of our little boys.

Then I came across a "letter tape" from Jean, sent from Africa, telling little details of life there 

now 30 years ago. Listening to it reminded me of people and places I hadn't thought 

of in a long while, but more importantly, her voice was as clear as if 

she was standing next to me. So good to hear.

I sent the little cassette to her husband, wondering if it was the right thing to do, 

not knowing how he was dealing with the loss of his wife of 65 years.

I got a note back from him this week. How he loved the tape. 

And, it is the only recording he has of his beloved's lovely voice.  

I was so glad, at that moment, that I am a keeper of sorts.  

What a gift I had given to him, that could have long ago been tossed in a trash bin. 

The dilemma remains. What to keep, what to toss.