Not long after my daughter was born I was quite unwell. Unwell enough that I had moments of thinking about what I would be leaving her behind. What trails of ‘me’ could she then trace to know my love for her throughout the duration of her life. Any unwell Mother of a child knows this thinking.
Being a jewellery designer and at the time owner of a wholesale jewellery manufacturer I of course went into “what can I design for her”. I’ve never really stopped this thinking, long after my recovery. This theme of communicating love still infuses all of my designing private or commercial and Ella still receives the occasional markers of her or my journey in the form jewellery gifts. (Oh the difficult life of a Th&Th daughter :))
One particular piece was given early along the path.. a silver envelope necklace with several silver pages to interchange inside the envelope. Each page will gradually receive a different message or saying and date. One message I asked our engraver to hand engrave was a favourite saying “See every leaf on a tree in its own light”.
These words reflect my heart and mirror the way I was “grown” by my beautiful parents. Their home and hearts were always open to share what they had as they walked alongside others in the community. It was always with an attitude that each person was unique, created individually, with their own giftings, burdens, thought processes, important beliefs, weaknesses and ways of going about life. I’m thankful that appreciating the value of that, of taking time to “know” the people around me created a joy in understanding, “seeing” the person.
Appreciating the individual colours of the kaleidoscope around us and taking time to do so. To dance or wander or humm or stand still among the rhythms around you. To know those around you are ok with you doing what you are doing and you are ok with them, is part of the joy of being alive.
Markers of time and identity of “you” and of those you love the most is important.
Helping others know us and know that they know us and we know them, especially the ones who we have the privilege of sharing our life and our hearts with the most, is a beautiful gift that may outlast time. There are many, many, ways to do this – all of them precious x
@josaxelby
To Hold & To Have 