Jewelry is such a personal item. People wear jewelry day in and day out! It becomes a part of who they are. The meaning behind a piece of jewelry can be so important and often far more valuable than the piece itself.
I remember as a child being fascinated with my aunt’s jewelry box that sat right in the middle of her beautiful antique dresser. I would look through it and ask questions about the shiny objects in the beautiful box. She would often tell me traveling stories about the far away places she visited in Europe where she purchased those special pieces.
People associate jewelry with the person who wore it, the person who gave it to them, the occasion they wore it, a place they visited and the intention behind their jewelry item.
As I grew up, I associated my aunt’s stories to the pieces of jewelry she once had. Well now that I own several of them, I have found that owning and wearing a piece of her personal jewelry gives me great joy. I also find myself reminiscing about those fond memories and the stories associated with them. Her jewelry fills me up knowing the meaning behind what I own, what I’m wearing and the fact that she once wore them. The memories associated with those unique jewelry items continue to resonated with me so many years later.
Consider starting a kind of your own personal story with your friends and family. Even a small piece of jewelry is usually remembered for years to come. People almost always remember who gave it to them and why. I think jewelry has the capacity to hold such fond memories for people.
When I was younger, I would always ask my aunt “can’t you just give me the money”? She would say, “no I want you to have a specific gift that you will always remember me and associate me with that piece. The money you will spend on bills and what not! It will be gone and you will have nothing to show for it in the future.”
Funny thing is, I didn’t realize what she was saying at the time. Now that I am older, I totally get what my aunt was talking about! The jewelry that means the most to me is the jewelry that I inherited or that special someone gave to me on a particular day or for a particular reason!
Now, I do wear my jewelry and make a mental note to say hello to those that either left me something or gave me that special piece of jewelry years ago. Now that is one sure way to carry on a family tradition! A way to be remembered for generations through that little piece of jewelry you gave that special someone. Give jewelry to those you love for a special occasion or just because! If it has good intentions, you will be remembered for years to come! From experience, I guarantee it! I remember every piece of jewelry and I remember who gave it to me even decades later! Jewelry with meaning goes a long way!