I received this pretty little freshwater pearl necklace from some distant relatives when I was in--I'm guessing here--the eighth grade. Birthday? Christmas? The details are fuzzy. This branch of the family tree was sporadic in its gift giving. Not that gifts should ever be expected, but we just weren't that close with one another, bloodlines or not. Perhaps that explains why I never developed a sentimental attachment to this necklace. Most of the jewelry I wear has a little story behind it, like Gramma Rita's peridot ring or her lovebirds necklace. This necklace did not. After nearly 20 years of it sitting in my dresser drawer, I decided it was time to give it a new lease and connect it with someone who would feel a sense of attachment to it.
I posted it on Craigslist in the free section and explained my desire to give this piece of jewelry a story and meaning and a sense of value. My one request was to know why they were interested in my old piece of jewelry--something beyond it street value. I figured the right person would present him or herself in time.
In fact--quite a few people would have given this necklace the sense of value I was looking for. People opened up to me. It was overwhelming and heartwarming and more than a bit humbling. Throughout my life, I have been fortunate to receive a number of beautiful pieces of jewelry--both heirlooms and new pieces. I know that I'm lucky for all that I have, but this quest of connecting my old necklace with a new owner helped me see that luck and good fortune are not all about an accumulation of things.
I gave the necklace to a woman named Michelle who, quite simply, wanted it for herself. Her story was honest and personal and full of promise, hope, and goodwill. She was a hard worker with a big heart--strong on the outside, sensitive on the inside--and had been a giver her whole life. However, her interest in this necklace was not coming from a place of "it's time for me to receive a little something." Rather, she was on the cusp of making some healthy, positive changes in her own life--all the while dedicating herself to giving her daughter a life of abundance. This pretty piece of jewelry was a way to comemorate the woman she is--both where she has come from and where she is headed.
Being well off has little to do with money and everything to do with perspective. That's the lesson she taught me. Finally, that little necklace has a sense of meaning. I need not have it around my neck to remember its story.
_________________________________________________________________________ © 2009 Good Karma Housekeeping. Because less really is more.
