Did you read yesterday's post by Rosy Revolver (RR)? She shared a beautiful and thought-provoking magazine article that talked about the connections a grandmother's jewelry can allow her granddaughter to make with her after she is gone from this world.
After reading the article in RR's post, thoughts about my own grandmothers kept flooding my mind. I was very, very blessed to have grown up with both of them in my life. In fact, my passion for jewelry began because I was the happy recipient of the broken bits of their oh-so-sparkly costume jewelry. My childhood collection--a twisted tangle of pearls, rhinestones, and crystals--looked something like what you'd see inside a magpie or bower bird's nest. ---And THAT's where I got the name The Magpie's Treasure. (Did YOU know that?)
While I was able to enjoy my grandmothers's jewelry when they were both alive, out in hazy shadows of memory is my great-grandmother Amelia--my mom's mom's mom. I hadn't even seen a picture of Amelia until last year, but somehow I was the great-grandchild chosen to receive her engagement ring.
The ring has a diamond in a simple setting that might be white gold or sterling silver. The setting lets in very little light so the stone is sparkless. When I first got it, I was thrilled and completely honored to have something--anything--that was once Amelia's. At the same time--I'm ashamed to admit--I thought it was dull and lackluster. Being a magpie, I love jewelry that glitters and decided to put the non-sparkling ring away for safe keeping. And even worse--I never wore it. That changed today.
This morning I woke up with the magazine article still on my mind and a burning desire to let sunlight shine on Amelia's ring.
Her story was short and sad--she died as a young wife & mother in the late-1920's or early-1930's. She contracted tuberculosis in Brooklyn and left two small daughters to be raised by my great-grandfather and by nuns in an orphanage. Neither my grandma or my mom really knew Amelia or had stories to tell me about her. And Pop-pop was a man of few words. So she slowly faded.
As I wore her ring today I thought, it wasn't fair that she didn't get to see her daughters grow-up and that she didn't get to live a full life with Pop-pop. And even more importantly, it wasn't fair that her story has been lost. That SHE has nearly been lost.
As I did my errands, I thought about Amelia more than I have in my entire life. I did recall one story about her--that when she was dying, she packed a trunk of precious gifts for her two girls. She labeled things such as stacks of her own china with tags that read "For Catherine" and boxes of silverware with tags "For Pauline." I can't imagine what she must have gone through packing that box and planning to leave them behind. Even so, that trunk remained unopened by her two girls until my own mom was old enough to get married, and forced them to open the gifts their mother had given them. I felt a twinge, realizing the story mirrored my own neglect of her ring...
Then I began to wonder about happier times--things my imagination could run with. What was it like when Pop-pop proposed to her? Did he bend on one knee and slide it onto her thin fingers? Where were they when it happened? Did joy fill her heart? Did her parents approve? Did she have sisters or brothers who stood by her side at the altar? What was her first home like? Did she enjoy being a wife and mother? Did she have hobbies and what were her unique talents? What was it like when she had her babies--was she scared? Did her own mother help her out? Did she and Pop-pop both fall in love with the girls at first sight? Did she enjoy tucking them in each night? Did she have favorite stories to tell them? Did she have close girl friends to confide in? Did she like to cook like I do? Did she like to read? And on and on...
Who was Amelia?
So many questions that can never be answered, but there are some things I know for sure--Amelia was here, Amelia was loved, and Amelia gave her love to the end.
This is the power our jewelry can have--one small piece can tell the most important part of our story. Remember this as you gather jewelry for yourself. If you have special pieces of jewelry, why not put a note in your jewelry box with it--explaining where it came from and what it means to you. You never know whose questions you may be answering or whose heart may open up to you even after you are long gone.
Many thanks to Rosy Revolver for sharing the wonderful article! And thank you Amelia for your ring and your love...
