Lornetka

Means "binoculars" in Polish. And these are no ordinary binoculars. They came in the mail today, as a part of the Christmas package from Babcia Irena and Dziadek Wojtek. The package was altogether wonderful, filled with my favorite candy, books, and funny tshirts for all of us, but the binoculars take the cake.

When I was little, I spent a lot of time with my maternal grandfather, Dziadek Mikolaj. One of my favorite places in the world was a huge park near my grandparents' house. We often took walks there, I learned how to skate on the ice rink in the park, I learned how to ride a bike on its gravel paths. One of my favorite activities was "binocularing". Birds, planes, people - I just loved walking around the park, spying on all things living and not, with these binoculars. Sometimes Dziadek and I would sit on two benches across the path from one another, well shaded by the massive buckeye trees, and he would make the most silly faces while I watched through the binoculars and laughed till I was out of breath.

I am so happy my mother kept these. Though they were a gift for LM, it was I who received the greatest gift: that of memories brought back to light.