Friday, May 20, 2016

Love You Forever

When I was young, I remember my mom reading Love You Forever by Robert Munsch.  It was one of our favorites that we requested frequently.  As a young child I remember my mom getting emotional while reading the book, but I never quite understood.  Even today, some *cough* 30 years later, she still concludes each phone conversation by saying "love you forever."

At the beginning of our TTC journey I started stockpiling a bunch of things I wanted/needed for a future baby.  I bought this book and tucked it away in the "future baby" box.  Rereading the book as an adult made me understand why my mom got emotional reading the book when I was a child.

When I was going through infertility I couldn't bear to think about this book.  It portrayed the deep bond between a mother and her child, a dream that I was beginning to think would never come true for me.  So it stayed tucked away in the box and there it stays.

Through the last year of so I've purged most of the contents of my "future baby box."  No sense in keeping it around since I'll never be able to use it, and I can't bear the thought of giving it to someone I know.  The book remains in the box, along with a few other odds and ends that I can't bear to get rid of yet.  Now I tear up just thinking about it.  I don't think of it often, but tonight I did.

Tonight I was reminded of the book when I read this article.  As it turns out, there is more to this book than meets the eye.  His reason for writing the book makes me simultaneously love it more and cry that much harder.  I reread the book.  I cried.  Mr. Munsch wrote a beautiful book that speaks of great love, but he knows this great loss too.

I think I'll always love this book.  It holds many positive memories.  But I think it will always be a painful one too.  I think that Mr. Munsch understands.

9 comments:

  1. It is lovely to know the story behind the book.

    I completely understand - the book being safely stuck in the box. You can't throw it away since the book does not belong to the "future baby" any more.
    It belongs to you, as a beautiful memory of your childhood, when your mom was reading to you.

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  2. I remember this book. I had no idea about the backstory. Brought tears to my eyes too.

    Agreeing with Klara. Please keep this book. Even though you have closed the chapter on biological children, it doesn't mean you have to give away all the items you collected. They are your's and ate an important part of the healing process.

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  3. That is a great story, and something we can all identify with. I still haven't purged my baby box, and I don't know when I will :(

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  4. It's hard to wrap my brain around getting rid of the stuff in the baby box, but it's hard to justify keeping it too. I feel like it's too special to get rid of but I also kind of feel like having it in my house creates bad vibes. It's really an internal struggle, but I'm not going to get rid of anything until I'm sure ready to. If I am ever ready to.

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  5. Here's my own post from a few years back about "Love You Forever" -- I'll let it speak for itself. ;)

    I'm sad to read in that HuffPo article that he has had to retire from storytelling because of his stroke. He was so much fun to watch in performance.

    http://theroadlesstravelledlb.blogspot.ca/2013/06/love-you-forever.html

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    1. Great post! Such a beautiful book with such a heartbreaking background. I think it's so cool that you got to see him in person!

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  6. I still have one thing from my baby box that I haven't been able to give away. It would only have been relevant to me - though if a niece has a child, it might mean something to her too. So I've kept it. It doesn't bring me pain any more, just memories. Keep that book if you love it, if it hurts to give it away. One day there might be a special child in your life that you can gift it to, or read it to when they come visit you at your house.

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    1. Honestly I think I'll probably give it away at some point, along with all of the other baby stuff. Eventually. But right now is not the time.

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  7. I did not know the book, so I had to look it up. Wow, what a story. I understand why it is so special to many.

    Your heart will tell you if and when it's time to let go. There is no rush.

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