Grandma Mabel's Jewelry Boxes

The first three and a half years of my life were spent living with my mom, dad and brother Greg (four years older) in one bedroom of my Grandma Mabel and Grandpa Ace's home on Canfield Ave. very near Culver City. One of my earliest memories was when we moved into our new house in Steven's Circle in Culver City. I remember walking out of my grandparent's home carrying my metal dollhouse. Not many other memories before that so I'm not sure when I began exploring my grandmother's dresser. My guess is sometime between 3 and 5.
She had the kind of dresser with a long mirror in the middle and sets of three drawers on either side. Inside the drawers were a treasure trove of the most wonderful boxes. The boxes were different sizes and colors. Inside each one was a different piece of costume jewelry. Apparently she didn't mind my explorations. I don't remember a word of correction or, "Put those things away!" She was a most generous soul.
I would carefully take out each box, lift the lid in wonder and place the box on their bed (it was always made up). There were rhinestone pins, beads, pearls and bracelets. They were all different and wonderful. Then the ritual would reverse itself. I would carefully take the boxes off the bed and try to put them back in the same order. It was a quiet, reverent exercise for a young child. I don't ever remember trying any of the jewelry on.
It is probably no surprise that Grandma Mabel's granddaughter has a number of drawers where small boxes of jewelry live. If I am honest I would not be as generous if a small child wanted to explore all those boxes. Once in a while, as I go through those boxes, memories remind me of how blessed I've always been with true treasure.