One Step Away from Family

I just recently acquired this old, worn, quilt and yet, it may be the most precious possession that I own.

First, some back story....

My dad was adopted after his grandmother (and caregiver) passed away by his great aunt and the woman that I call my grandmother today. I grew up calling her my Mammal, and it wasn't until I was old enough to understand why our extended family was so small that she sat me down and explained it all to me. With my mother and her family pretty well out of the picture, my grandmother, father, and brothers and sisters were pretty well the extent of my family.

This beautiful quilt that is frayed on the edges with holes wearing through, was made by my Mammal's mommy and it is something that she has cherished for years with all of her heart. It has been pulled out of a dresser drawer many times, holding it close to her chest, saying 'one day I will give this to you and then maybe you can fix it...' and then it would go back to it's place in the bottom of her dresser.

I always dreamed of the day I would own something so special and precious to someone. An heirloom to a family that I barely knew but cherished because it was mine.

She gave it to me last year. Her only words were 'please take care of it' and I vowed I would. I know she always said that she hoped I would 'fix' it, mending the holes and adding a new backing so that it doesn't eventually fall apart.
Maybe one day I will.
Right now, I am cherishing it the way that it is. It is my go-to snuggle blanket and hangs on the back of my chair all of the time. It smells of my grandmother's house and there's a comfort in knowing that you are wrapped in something that was made from the heart.
It may just be a 'thing', a possession, but to me, it's one step away from being family.
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Now go link up with Lauren and Hayley!
What is one tangible thing you have that holds intangible value?