My mother died quickly and unexpectedly on Halloween afternoon in 1998.  She was alone in her home when my sis-in-law, Leslie found her, still warm, as if she were just resting on her bed.  Leslie had taken her 3 little kids to Grandma’s to trick-or-treat after school, before going out in their neighborhood that evening.

I was just driving into our neighborhood when I heard the ambulance, and wondered which of my neighbors was in trouble.  I followed the ambulance to my Mom’s condo and joined Leslie, as the paramedics did their best to revive Mom.  She was gone.

One of my Mom’s things I saved was her purse, with all of her things inside, just as I found it on that Halloween day so many years ago.  I’ve kept her purse intact, with her smell on the scarf she always tucked over the top of her purse.

I got it out today, to remember Mom.  I took her things out, and fingered each item, knowing that when she woke up that morning, she had no idea she would not live to see the trick-or-treaters come by that evening.

Here are my Mom’s things, her time capsule of October 31st, 1998.

I miss my Mom.  Her smell is still here, in her purse.  I put everything back, just as she left it, and put the purse back into a closet where it will be waiting for the next time I need to feel and smell her near.