Do you have a physical remembrance of someone who was close to you? What is it, and why did you keep it?

Tommy keeps the Rodin statue because it reminded him of his wife; Jack, too, recalls receiving small "talismans” from the partners of friends who have died. Do you have a physical remembrance of someone who was close to you? What is it, and why did you keep it?

I like to hang on to things and have many things in my home that belonged to my grandparents, parents, and even family members I didn't meet. I like to have that history around me. It makes me feel comfortable, that there were people before me that loved me, cared about me and connect me to the past.

Even though both of my parents have been gone awhile, I still keep items--my dad's WWII uniform pins and medals, my mom's cards/notes--things with her handwriting. I have lots of family photos displayed--some very old. I want my children to see the continuity of our family and to draw from the strength, depth, and love that brings us to today and supports them into the future when my husband and I will be gone. I think all of that is missing in the Plumb family; they seem so adrift and unattached from each other at times. And Francie fails completely as mother and matriarch.

I loved my father very much, and there are two things of his I've kept over the years. The first was his chess set on which he taught me the game. (It smells of spoiled milk. When he & my mom were dating, he had it in the trunk of his car along with items for a picnic. A container of milk they had along spilled and went bad. The chess set has never lost the aroma!) And also, my dad used to whittle. When we were cleaning out his things I found a swan he'd carved and I've kept that. I think I like to see these things & remember my dad. They make me smile.

Since I have no children, I'll need to make sure to get these items to my nephew before I kick the bucket. I'd hate for someone to have them (or worse yet, pitch them) without knowing what they are or their significance.

Interestingly, I haven't kept mementos of other people who've come and gone in my life.

My husband died three years ago. I had his wedding ring resized and wear it on my right hand. We were married almost 50 years. Everyday his ring reminds me of the life we shared. I feel like I am keeping him close.

I have very strong memories of my grandmother at her antique sewing machine creating unique items to wear. Mine was a poncho made with material scraps left over from many of my prior outfits when I was younger. Her meticulous, loving work still makes me smile when I put it on.

Yes, I do have one thing that I keep as a remembrance of my Pastor from my home church. He was the best friend I had in the world and was, for intents and purposes, my stand-in father, since I have no idea to his day who my father is. Pastor was an exceptional artist - he could paint, sculpt, draw, etc. One year when were at our church camp, all of us went to an artist colony where there were many, many artists from across the country, set up to display and teach about their particular area of expertise. One of the artists was a leather tooling expert. Our church's name was Oak Hill. Pastor took one of this man's classes and carved a key fob for me with an oak branch with leaves. I was thrilled when he said he had made it for me. I will keep that little piece of leather forever.

My grandmother raised me while my parents were at university, then again later in life during middle and high school she lived with us. When she was 80, she moved in with me and my husband and raised our two daughters for 6 1/2 years. In my Eastern European family that is what we do, each generation helps the next. When she died I kept many things she brought from Serbia including a kilim she wove herself! But nothing is as precious to me as the photographs and videos that fill my home and remind us daily of her unwavering love for all of us.

I have my father's WWII Honor Bus hat, which was given to the veterans when they were taken to D.C. via bus for a military of event. It was important to him, so it's important to me. I felt he was honoring me, singling me out, as I have 4 siblings and I was closer to him than any of the others.

Eight years ago my best friend EVER and I were having breakfast in a restaurant in Santa Barbara. We had met there for a rendezvous, one of many over the years as we lived in different states. She looked at me across the table and announced she always wanted a tattoo--one that represented our friendship. Long story short, she talked me into it. I did not particularly want a tattoo and hid it from my new yoga classmates as long as I could afterwards. She chose two beautiful, vibrantly-colored butterflies, perfectly placed on our right shoulders. (Later we laughed, realizing the fact she loved butterflies, had nothing to do with our friendship.) She died unexpectedly a year later and I added her initial to it. Ironically, one of the butterflies is depicted flying away, as she did. I love my tattoo.