Day 4.
Jeans and a tee and my chucks. Pretty standard Jen uniform today.
Except that I was wearing my great-grandmother’s necklace and now I’m not. Hence the grumpy face.
It was a high school graduation gift from her parents. My grandma found it with all her jewelry, wrapped up in tissue with the note my great-great-grandmother had written, and told me I could have it. I was thrilled.
I wore it today because it goes so well with this peach top and because I never accessorize and thought maybe today I would try. And then I was nursing Mila. And she reached up and grabbed it. You know where this is going, I’m sure. I didn’t stop her because she wasn’t pulling–just holding it–but evidently that was a terrible decision. Suddenly beads were pouring down the front of me. Into my shirt, onto the couch, spilling onto the floor.
I nearly cried.
I don’t own many things that I worry about ruining. Clothes, dishes, even my books…just not that big a deal. (Although I may not be so cavalier when one day I discover Mila happily ripping pages out of my Shakespeare anthology. We’ll see.) Yes, I’d be pretty dang upset if, say, someone wrecked my car or smashed the TV or spilled something on my laptop, because those things are expensive to replace. But they’re still replaceable. I’d get over it.
But this admittedly cheap little necklace is sort of an heirloom. It’s got sentimental value. It’s definitely irreplaceable. Fortunately it’s not a lost cause; stringing it back together shouldn’t be hard. I just hope I can find all the beads. I found one hiding in Mila’s onesie and two more in my bra (how did I not notice they were there?) but there are still a few missing.
I know we’re supposed to love people and use things and not the other way around or however the saying goes, but there are just some things that you can’t help loving. And you mourn them when they’re gone. At least I do. Is that wrong?
shirt: J Crew / jeans: Gap / shoes: gift
A few days ago Abigail broke a bowl that Neil bought me on our anniversary. It wasn't super fancy (just from Crate & Barrel) but I loved it and I used it every day and it was part of a matching set that they don't make anymore. I had it out on my little window ledge and every time I looked at it I thought about that fun delightful day we'd had together and about him picking out this fun new bowl that I didn't need but totally loved.
I was truly sad. Not sad enough to yell or make a big deal out of it, but it was still sad nonetheless.
Hope you can find all the beads!
Exactly. It's the thoughts attached to the things that make them special. And I wish I could say I didn't make a big deal out of it, but I kind of did. As if Amelia knew any better. I was more mad at me than anything else, though.
The same things happened to me with your great-grandmother's pearls. . . and you! We were at Aunt Jeanne's house, We found all the pearls we could, but still a few were missing. A few months later, Aunt Jeanne brought me an envelope with 3 pearls in it she had found while sweeping. I cried. I never had them restrung, and I always wish I had. They just sit in a box. Sadness.
I suppose it's only fair then! And someday Mila's daughter will break another necklace and the cycle will continue.
You should definitely have them restrung, by the way.