What Reg finally learned from her mother

I found a box, when going through some things I inherited a couple years ago.

This box, actually.

Anyways, in this box was 4 beer bottle caps, a half used package of cigarettes, a lighter, and some letters. The letters are no ordinary letters. These letters are letters from my mother to my father when she was 16 years old  and he was 19.

These letters were never sent, and she never intended them to be sent (or read.) I am still wondering if this is sweet or creepy, but I sometimes ponder if these two concepts--romatically sweet or creeper status-- are interchangable, only depending on context, perception, and bandwagon effect (thanks for the term, Summer-my-love). Of course I read them, though at times it was very difficult. I did not want to be disillusioned--to find out my mother was a normal teenager that drank, smoked, and partied.

What have I learned about life from mom's box?

I have learned that my parents did as much ( and by as much I mean way more) of what they were told not to as I have.

I have learned that couples always say "I love you" much sooner than everyone thinks they should.

Most importantly I learned that sometimes, you just know. Much like a pre-schooler told me for psych class when I asked, "How do you know if you love someone?" "You just do." Which is why though my mother dated 3 men (all named Mark, strangely enough) before my father (also Mark), she only started writing letters to Dad. Letters that began after their very first date.

Which is, again, obsessive and a bit creepy. Yet the line between creepy and sweet gets blurrier and blurrier.