Jordana's Blog: Sparkle On, Gram!
"You should have it before I die."
"Thanks Gram, but please don't die yet."
My Grammy is still alive, thank G-d. She's 96. Gram has the best jewelry. She's had two generous husbands, held a job most of her life, has traveled all over the world and taught me the meaning of an "important" piece. (A high-value piece of jewelry in weight and quality.)
When she travels now, her most important jewels travel in her safest place … her bra. I'm not sure what happens when she goes through security, but no TSA agent wants to mess with Gram.
But now she's 96, and her mortality is ever-present. During the weekend together in New Jersey, when she wasn't pressing $5 bills into the hands of the great-grandchildren, she was sneaking us gold and diamonds embedded in some of her favorite pieces.
It wasn't sad, it was sweet. I think this is the way to do it. Had I received a piece of jewelry from her in her will, I would have felt mournful every time I wore it. But now as I look at my wrist I smile, thinking of her secretly shoving the diamond-studded gold bracelet into my hand and saying, "Not all the grandchildren got diamonds … so you don't have to show it to the others."
We all know it's not about the value of the piece; it's about its soul.
Gram knows she can't take her "important" pieces with her when she does choose to leave us. But life feels short even at 96, and she wants us to sparkle as much as we can while we're here.
Thanks, Gram.
Have you given or gotten a special hand-me-down from someone? How does it make you feel when you use it? Share your story.
