Hello all,
been a while I know...
But I have been waging a war with bees in an air vent, growing pumpkins, and watering a garden etc.
I have been busy.
I had a very interesting thing happen tonight.
My youngest daughter came downstairs and said
"Mom, I have something to ask you...but you have to come and see it."
I said okay...
So I go upstairs and into my bedroom while she is leading the way.
She shows me a red velvet bag she pulled out of my jewelry box with the name of a funeral home on it...
She said "What is this?"
I said "That is your great gramma's favorite necklace."
My gramma was wearing it the day she died.
My mom gave it to me after my gramma died, so I would have something to remember her by.
I vaguely remember taking it out at the time...seeing the knotted and very thin little chain and the scuffed front of the heart shaped locket and thinking that this was an old, (and cheap) necklace. Frankly, at the time, I found it depressing.
A kind of symbol of all that My gramma didn't have.
I thought that I would keep it in my jewelry box as a way to honor her memory.
I never took it out again.
I never looked at it again.
But tonight my youngest wanted to see it...
So I took it out.
Now the last time I saw it was in my mom's bathroom...It was dark and poorly lit.
I took it out this time and the shine on the chain caught my eye...
I realized that it wasn't Tin...It just needed untangling, and cleaning.
So I took a tooth brush and some toothpaste and set about to cleaning the locket and rinsing and drying the chain....
It wasn't thin...it was twisted and delicate...
And it sparkled...and then Sophie said "What's that?"
There was very tiny print at the bottom of the locket.
I looked and couldn't make it out so she ran for her magnifying glass...
When we looked it said on the back of that locket.
14 kt. Gold.
It was Gold...
I mistook it for something else because I was tired and discouraged, and sad...
I had this necklace for the past 5 years....and I never looked any harder than I did that first day.
The front has a scuff....So I flipped it over.
I am wearing it right now.
In many ways it was like my gramma...worn down on the outside by life.
Luckily God can see the inside.
I know inside, my gramma was gold too.
She just needed some buffing.
It reminded me to look harder.
Thank God for young people.
They aren't too jaded to look.
chris out.
17 comments:
Loved this. Love you. Deb
My grandmother was my hero. She loved me unconditionally. If there was ever an angel walking this earth, it was my grandmother. I never heard her speak an unkind word, never saw her lose her temper, never heard any cuss words - she lived her life for others. She is still a blessing to me. Our grandmothers still teach us through our memories of them. I have already fallen far short of what my grandmother was but I will always try to be like her.
What a beautiful story. I am glad you are able to enjoy it now.
Oh, to have the eyes of the young... I really liked this. I think your Gramma would be smiling over your discovery. :-) Very touching.
What an awesome post. How many times do we look at something like this instead of looking at something as if we are looking through a child's eyes or Gods eyes? My grandmother had many wonderful things...sterling silver bowls, serving pieces, tableware, I never wanted any of it. but I do have an old cameo pin of hers that probably isn't worth but about $5, but I love it because she always wore it! Love your post today!
Funny the stuff that God can use to get our attention and teach us yet another lesson, isn't it?
This is so nice. What a lovely interaction for you and your daughter- seeing with new eyes. And a wonderful way to show her the memory of your grandmother.
You could always get those scratches polished off, but then the necklace might not be so special...
Lovely! I was so sad when they broke into my house in December and stole all my jewelry - including a lovely pendant from my beloved great-aunt. Fortunately I still have the jewelry box, which had also been hers.
You never cease to amaze me with your words. Thank you for this parable.
What a beautiful story, and it is such stories shared with our children that bind the generations together. It's also interesting how our viewpoint changes, depending on how we're doing at the moment. Again, sometimes things are worth a second look and a second chance.
I love how you tell a story. Great post.
Wow. Beautiful.
i had just the opposite experience as you chris<><><>i have two things of my moms, a nineteen 2o hummel, and a 1921 copenhaugen blue plate{my mom's birthdate]i considered them priceless<<><>well my daughtwer has a hook{ a thing she looks into to find the price of antiques and things really old<>><<>she fould the exact hummel and the exact plate and what you could now buy them for some seventy years later<><><>i was thinking 10,000 dollars, but the plate sells for 46 dollars and the hummel of a boy carrying a basket sells for 10 dollars<><<>but the fact is they are still priceless cause my mom's birthday and the fact she died when 59 years old and my sister who is the only who could appreciate it is also dead at 63 years<><><>so what lesson do you have for me chris????
hey i am unlucky number 13 comment
I am so glad I read your blog. Look harder...oh yes - we all need to do that! Thanks Chris.
What an awesome post. I love your stories. Things always look different..better..through the eyes of a child. Love this.
Some of the best posts are in the archives. Beautiful. Absolutely beautiful. I'll be reading more.
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