Reflecting on memories is sad and happy. Generations of faces bring back wonderful memories. Covid has left many of us wanting for those we lost. The lost images make us sad but also remind us how precious life is. My bedroom chest of drawers is topped with an old mirror.
This original mirror has reflected generations of my family. My Mother, Audrey, used this mirror as long as I can remember. This is where she braided her hair, checked her makeup, looked at her outfits…
My family and their parents before them gazed into the same glass. This furniture was made back when the Quakers and William Penn arrived to what is now Pennsylvania. A Conestoga wagon hauled this furniture over the Appalachians into Fayette County, Pennsylvania. From there it went to Oakland, Maryland and then Baltimore County. Today this vintage mirror and furniture resides in Belgrade, Montana. That’s a lot of miles for a mirror without a crack or chip.
Many of my family were hunters and fishermen. All loved the outdoors and were survivors. No adventure was too tough and no challenge too hard. They kept their folded clothes and cherished jewelry or artifacts in the drawers. My mom left a written note, describing the furniture’s history, taped to the side of the top drawer. At the end of the day, they may gazed into this mirror and went “Whew, what a day!”
When my parents married, my mom brought this furniture with her. The Haddock family passed it down to her. All my mom’s family reflected in this mirror. Wouldn’t it be neat if we could somehow look back and record those images? Most of the times, they would have been smiling. Their hair would have been in place, hats and garments perfectly placed. Maybe they gazed into their own eyes and wondered about the past and future images, just like me.
Maybe you can see someone special looking over your shoulder when you look into your vintage mirror. Family, friends, pets, and just passer byes. You never know what you might see. My wife Linda uses the mirror now. She checks her hair and outfits just like so many before her.
One day, in the future, someone will gaze into the mirror and remember me, and my hunting pup Jag. 
Montana Grant
