Do you guys have those pieces of jewelry or accessories that you just never take off? Whether that be because they mean something of significance to you or because you're too lazy to just remove them from your body? I know that for me, I have about 6 bracelets that have just about become a part of me because I have worn them for so long [see image above]. And I absolutely love when people ask about my bracelets and wonder the whereabouts of their origins. Not that any of you would particularly give a flying fajita where they came from, but I thought it would be amusing to give a brief description of my "permanent" body jewelry.
The top bracelet (the maroon one with the three beads) was a bracelet I got for being an advocate for reforestation, aka, the replanting of trees in Central America due to the rapid rate of their depletion. This is a cause that I am passionate about and enjoy discussing, so this bracelet is one that I wear proudly.
The bracelet below that one (the green thread with the tree charm) is one that I got on an outdoor, camping retreat during my first semester of college. I was in the clearing of a forest in the dead of night, staring up at the stars when somebody came up to me and handed me this bracelet. When they gave it to me, they made some analogy for life in relation to a spool of yarn, but I unfortunately do not remember it due to the fact that I was so mesmerized by these stars in the sky, that were flashing so brightly. I wear this bracelet for the specific purpose of remembering the moments I shared with the stars.
The bracelet below that one (the pinkish red rubber band) is my favorite bracelet, and probably one of my most prized possessions. I have been wearing it since I was 7 (for 12 years), and still continue to wear it to this day. My mother gave it to me after I was dealing with a rough bout of anxiety. She told me to always remember and live by the words on the bracelet, which read, "Relieve, Recover, Rebuild." For me, this is a really meaningful motto that really helps me during my anxious periods. It is also something that reminds me of her, being my mom, which always does the trick to warm my heart back up.
The bracelet below that one (the white rope with knots) is also one of my favorite ones to explain because it really has no meaning. I found a piece of thin, white rope in my house one day, just conveniently long enough to wrap around my wrist, and just kept tying knots throughout it. Afterwards, I burnt the two ends together with a lighter and put it on my wrist. I love this addition to my bracelet family because it amuses me how all of my other bracelets have a meaningful, heartfelt story besides this one, ha! Not everything in life needs to possess meaning...or does it? Did I just give it a meaning?--Damn!
The bracelet below that one (the brown hair tie) is a hair tie. Every gal or dude with hair past their shoulders understands the necessity of always keeping one of these around in case you gotta sprout into some live action! I still do not understand why hair ties come in packs of twenty, because this singular hair tie has lasted me for about 2 years strong!
The last bracelet at the very bottom (the multicolored rope with knots in it) is actually called a chaplet. For my non-Catholic Steemit pals, a chaplet is like a rosary, but with only 10 beads/knots instead of 50, with each one meant to be prayed on (Our Father, Hail Mary, Glory Be, etc). Anyway, I received this bracelet about 5 years ago on my first retreat ever. Anyone who knows me understands how much of a retreat junkie I am! I have both attended and lead dozens of retreats, and they are a huge part of who I am today. The fact that this junkie little rope has managed to stay on my wrist for this long without disintegrating or breaking is miraculous in itself. Even though I am not super strong in my faith all the time, this bracelet acts as a mild reminder of what I hold most important to my heart.
So there you have it, a brief, yet unnecessary explanation of where my bracelets came from. I wouldn't be half surprised if nobody cared at all or even read up to this point, but this kind of stuff intrigues me personally. Whenever I see someone with bracelets on their wrists or other body jewelry, tattoos, etc, I just about always will be asking questions about them. And I have heard some pretty incredible stories about where their accessories came from. So now here is my question to all of you who have read up to this point: ****Do you have any interesting jewelry that you sport around all the time? If so, what is it, and what does it mean to you?****
Feel free to upload a picture if you feel like it as well! I think it would make a pretty cool thread (no pun intended)
Peace,
Brandi