The wedding gift

My husband and I were married in September 1975. I was 18 and Lynn was 20. As with most young brides-to-be, I relied heavily on bridal showers graciously given by my family and friends. We received many wonderful and useful gifts, and I cherished each one.

My mother’s youngest brother is only three years older than I am. In 1975, at age 21, he worked in a furniture factory and had little money for buying his niece a wedding gift. One of the banks in Granite Falls was selling dinnerware at a very reasonable price to their patrons. So each week during the summer of 1975, my uncle would purchase one or two pieces. By September, he had an eight-piece place setting of Summertime Staffordshire dishes, which included dinner plates, cups and saucers. He presented this thoughtful gift to me before my wedding. I used those dishes for many, many years.

Today, three children and six grandchildren later, only three of the dinner plates remain. They are a reminder to me of the love and thoughtfulness of a special family member.

Cathy Hickerson, Hiddenite, EnergyUnited