The perfume bottle

Every Christmas, and it never failed, my Dad would always give my Mom the same gift. Mind you, he wasn't in a rut or uncreative, it was just a sweet tradition between the two of them. It was a bottle of her favorite perfume, Estee Lauder's "Youth Dew" As far as I know, the bottle design never changed. It's a sweet bottle with an hourglass shape to it. There's a gold bow around the waist of the bottle and a tall gold cap. It was the only perfume I ever remember her wearing. And she always had it timed right, using the perfume in such amounts that she ran out just in time to get the next bottle at Christmas.

The summer after my Mom died, I was at home from school. It had been a difficult few months for me but I was glad to be home with Dad. We did alot of cleaning out of her personal effects. When we cleaned out her side of the bathroom sink, we got rid of lots of make up and other toiletries. And then I noticed the perfume bottle. It was the last one my Dad would ever get to give his wife of almost 28 years. Without being too tearful, I took the bottle of Youth Dew and kept it on my dresser at home. Everytime I came home, having that bottle there in my room was somewhat of a comfort.

Time moves on and situations change. Dad has since remarried, to the most remarkable woman I might add. The house in Monroe is no longer in the family which is sad since it's the house I grew up in. But, after all, it's just a house and the memories will always be there for me.

Today is the 14th anniversary of the day Mom died. It was the day that changed my life forever, in good ways and bad. Today I'm not sad for our loss, but am just thankful that I got to know her. She was an amazing woman. And now, everytime I sit down at my desk to pay bills or get on my computer, I look over and there it is...my Mom's perfume bottle.