Whenever I travel I like to purchase one fabulous piece of jewelry as a memento of my trip. A Murano glass necklace from Italy, koa wood bracelets from Oahu, a jade bangle from China. My favorite accessories, however, are those which bear a collection of memories from my journey through life.
Remember back in the day when your local savings and loan would give you some fabulous gift for banking with them? Sign on the line and a calendar, a commemorative piggy bank or a toaster was yours. I’m not sure when my first account was opened for me by my parents, but I do know that was where my first charm bracelet came from. It all began with four Michigan-specific charms and took off from there.
We were fortunate as kids. While growing up we were afforded many opportunities to travel. Some years it was a long journey, like all the way to Florida—with grandma!—in the station wagon. Other times it was just an overnighter to the nearest amusement park. But every year, without fail, my parents would pack all of us in the car and we’d hit the road.
Those expeditions not only shaped fond memories, but also opened my eyes to what could be found beyond my own backyard, likely spawned my passion for travel, and provided opportunities to add more charms to my bracelet. Every place we went I scoured souvenir shops and eagerly awaited our next Stuckey’s stop to purchase the perfect remembrance.
Ahhhh … Stuckey’s, the roadside oasis of every great family vacation. Pecan log rolls, keepsakes, restrooms! Sing it with me:
Make a Stuckey’s stop
Make a Stuckey’s stop
Take a five-minute stretch
Or browse for awhile
Relax!
Refresh!
Refuel!
(Should I be worried about the things from my adolescence which remain trapped in my mind?)
But I digress. Over the years my bracelets were also supplemented with charms for many of life’s milestones: birthdays, holidays, accomplishments. And then, at some point, the whole notion seemed to fade and was replaced with an obsession to accumulate lapel pins. I forgot about charms … until I recently went into clean and purge mode.
Tucked away in one of the drawers of my jewelry box were not one, but two bracelets … and more charms to add to them. Over the years I’ve lost a trinket or two because the bracelets tend to snag on things and pull the jump rings apart. I decided a while back to have all the charms soldered, but it had been years since I had last done so.
Many jewelers now want an exorbitant $20+ per charm to secure them with 24-carat gold. Whoa! I don’t need anything that fancy; I just want to make sure I'm not going to lose my precious mementos. I finally happened upon a jewelry hospital that would complete the task for just $5 per charm. Perfect! When I went to pick up the completed project, the oh-so-friendly jeweler told me he didn’t see many charm bracelets anymore, but loved to look at them to decipher the stories they tell of their owners. How did my chronicles read? Crazy but fun!
Two bracelets are now full, and I’ll have to order a third for the remaining 5 of 80 charms I rediscovered hidden in that jewelry box drawer. My days of lapel pins are over. They may also provide great memories of places I’ve been to and things I’ve celebrated during my lifetime, but I’d rather sport the mini scrapbooks than tuck the recollections away. Sure the charm bracelets are heavy, loud and somewhat obnoxious, but I love wearing them. They have once again become just the thing to remind me of all the crazy and fun things I’ve done in my life.
2 comments:
I love charm bracelets! Great idea for a photo! I have a book that I read over the summer called "The Glassblower of Murano." It was a very good read. Another book I need to loan to you.
I have 2 charms bracelets that look just like yours.
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