I caught a tweet the other day while sitting with Will during his half hour breakfast (ugh speed it up kid). It was from Emily guest posting at the Scary Mommy Society. The title of her post – ‘My Mom Died and All I Got Was This Stupid Necklace.’ I snorted coffee out my nose. Listen, if you can’t laugh about it….you’ll wallow in sadness. I laughed really hard. I could have written that post. Because my mom died and I wear her necklace…and it’s my MVP (most valued pocession).
When my mom found out she was dying, she asked each of us what jewellery we would want. I answered quickly – the only thing that I wanted was her necklace. My dad had surprised her with it years earlier. When they were newlyweds, they saw Kitty Carlisle on a game show and she had this diamond heart necklace on. My dad told my mom that one day, he’d get her one. And years later, he did. She never took it off. Everyday, formal occassions, it didn’t matter. The necklace stayed on. And because of that – every picture of my mom has the necklace in it. Our necklace. (this picture didn’t scan very well…but squint…yeah it’s there!)
I’ve added to in the last ten years though. Once dementia took over my granny’s brain and she started flushing everything down the toilet…glasses (that’s a story for another day), engagement ring….I asked to have her wedding ring. In a moment of clarity, she agreed and it now hangs next to my mom’s heart.
When my step-mother Diana saw it, she gave me her grandmothers ring to wear with it as well. It looks very similar to Moo Moo’s. So now there are 100+ years of strong women hanging around my neck every day.
Will calls it grandma’s necklace and knows to be very, VERY careful with it. He loves to play with it when he’s sitting on my lap and it was the first thing he reached for when he was born. (and stop laughing at the manicure…I was on bed rest and bored!!!)
My nephew Sam and I were talking one day and he asked about my necklace. I said it was grandma’s and he said he couldn’t remember my mom. So we looked at a picture of her wearing it…and then I told him a bunch of stories and that as much as she loved us – she worshipped him. I think he got the picture. This necklace has many purposes.
So what is your MVP? You know the thing that you have nightmares about losing? (and kids don’t count….)
Sara – as per usual, your story has moved me to tears. I love the power your necklace has. What a treasure. I have yet to find my MVP but am sure I’ll one day acquire something precious on all levels.
I have a couple of MVPs and my Grandfather’s Mason ring is one of them. My Dad didn’t even wear a wedding band but did the odd time wear his father’s Mason ring. One day while digging in the garden he lost the ring. He was heartbroken and we checked everywhere for it. My Dad passed away at 58 and sadly we never found the ring. I continued to work the garden for my mom hoping to find the ring one day. Three years later I found some garden gloves and was working in the garden, always with the ring on my mind. Something kept digging into my palm so I finally took my hand out, only to find the ring. I never saw my dad wear gardening gloves – ever. My mom decided that the ring was meant to be mine, even if it went against the Masons rules that say it must go to the son. I will cherish it forever.
My wedding rings.
Sean had the engagement ring custom made. He did an amazing job. I love LOVE love it.
And we have matching wedding bands. Before our wedding we each took the others ring to the jeweller and had it engraved with something. We didn’t tell each other what we put. The day after our wedding we took them off and read what we had inscribed.
Maybe I’ll write about that for my anniversary post 🙂
I bet its beautiful! I remember standing at Birks and asking them to clean my necklace – they wanted me to leave it and I said no and burst into tears…looooser. I have a cool necklace from a rock I found on an Outward Bound trip…very cool – like yours!
so beautiful….I’m going to check your neck next time….very special!
I’m dying laughing….especially at your name…people – this is my sister….
My GPS and my Tassimo (Guess who???!!!)
I LOVE the forever pendant too. xo
My grandmother’s engagement ring. My sister had it after Grandma died and then she gave it to me shortly before she died. She wanted John & me to get married. I wear it on my ring finger, it is my engagement ring too now and every time I look at I think of three people.
Also, my forever pendant. Kath, Jen & Alla gave me a forever pendant on the night before my Maddy’s Celebration of Life and I’ve worn it every day since. I replaced the original one with silver and then bought one my mom, my aunt, Je, Kath & Alla, Christine (another cousin on my mom’s side) and Ella, my niece. My girls will get one someday soon. It symbolizes how our relationship is forever.
My great grandmother’s 50yr wedding anniversary ring. She told me ever since I remember that, when she died, she wanted me to have the ring.
She passed away from a massive heart attack at age 90.
I had the ring very slightly resized (as long as they promised to not touch the inscription!) and they gave it back to me all polished and looking like brand new. I nearly cried right there in the jewellery store! I’ve worn it a few times but I’m so terrified of loosing it that I keep it somewhere safe now.
I have other jewellery that is very personal and unique such as the rings I had made in Australia with gemstones that I personally dug up and others I have aquired while travelling. My great-grandmother’s is the one I’d truly be sick about loosing though!
My mom’s ring. I bought it for her when she turned 60 and I knew when she was gone it would look the same on my hand as it did on hers. When I see it there I think of her.
I have her wedding ring and her Rolex…but the wedding ring is my MVP….I took it off one time when doing something with Chickie when she was a baby, (along with mine) and both went missing…..I freaked….the maid, who was there that day, had put them away for safe keeping so I wouldn’t lose them!!!!
Chickie loves to put it on and wants to know when it will be hers!!!