I am not a jewelry gal. I have had countless women swear that they could turn me into one, but truth be told...it won't happen. I am just not that kind of a girl. It's not that I'm judging my jewelry loving friends. Not at all! I just find necklaces and bracelets annoying on my skin. I don't enjoy the texture of it. Plus, I'm allergic to everything but the expensive (ie...gold, platinum) stuff, so most of the time I figure, why bother? I do, however, have a couple of items that I wear daily. My two things I wear all the time have complete significance and are wholly connected to my lobster.
The first (and my favorite) is my wedding ring. The lobster picked this fella out and it's beautiful. When he and I got our rings (they are both replacements...mine because we rush married before he deployed and couldn't find a ring we both liked, so we got "something" to have for the time being, and his because he lost it during the rainy season of Iraq when it fell off of his dog tag-he had it off because of firing or something where he wasn't supposed to wear metal, I kind of forget-and landed in the two feet of mud sand and was lost. I heard from some of the other guys that he spent hours out there scouring the mud to no avail) we had a bit of a "putting on the ring" situation. We both held the other's ring and prayed. We also each kissed the ring before we put it on the other's finger. I know it sounds cheesy, but every time I see that ring on my finger, it isn't a reminder that I'm "off the market" or something lame like that, but rather a reminder that I am married to a man who deeply loves me. My ring makes me feel connected to him. It surprises me so often when I look down and see it there. I mean, seriously, when the heck did I become this married lady with four kids!? I love the reminder that it brings me!
The second are a pair of diamond studs. The lobster got me these studs for Christmas during our first married deployment. They were supposed to be signed for, but UPS left them on my doorstep when I was out of town. I had to track down a friend to pick up the box so that they wouldn't be stolen! When I got back to the prairie land, I got the box and opened the most beautiful pair of diamond studs I have ever seen. My husband understands that I am simple, and completely not flashy in any way shape or form. The studs he picked are perfect and beautiful. They seriously are always in my ears. They remind me that love is largely about listening. When I put my fingers up to my ears, those studs remind me that if I stop listening to him, then the sparkle that exists in our relationship will fade away. It's not that he's my dictator, control freak, ALPHA MALE, psycho husband. It's just that to hear him is to understand him, and to understand him is to find a beautiful peace and comfort in his leadership. I trust him. He is probably the only person who I trust enough to allow to lead me completely. So anyway...my earrings remind me of that.
The third piece of jewelry that I wear (only when the lobster is away for longer than one night), is around my neck. When the lobster and I celebrated our first valentine's day together, before we got married, he gave me two of the things I had always wanted someone to give me: a giant teddy bear (we are talking the human sized ones....okay...it's off topic but I have to share. I used to sleep with that teddy bear every time the lobster deployed, until my dog, Jake, decided the bear was public enemy number one. I would wake up in the morning to Jake in the place where the bear was, and the bear would be on the floor. This continued EVERY single night! Okay...off topic, but it still cracks me up. My dog is jealous of a teddy bear! HA!), and a cross necklace. The necklace he chose was exactly what I had always envisioned in my mind: it was simple, and had diamonds. The tradition of wearing it when apart, began at our first married deployment. We stood in the parking lot. I was pregnant with our first born, and he was leaving. I was a new wife, new to the Army, new to the post, new to the state, new to everything. He brought that necklace and put it around my neck. He said "Every time you see this necklace, I want you to know that I love you, and that God is with you." From that day on, it didn't leave my neck until he came home and took it off.
I am wearing that necklace now. The only difference with it, is that now I also wear a tank charm on the same chain. I have moments where I hate wearing it. I hate the symbol of him not being here, and him not coming home at night, yet there are other moments when it comforts my heart and reminds me that he loves me and God is with me. The things he says have changed a bit, yet with every goodbye it's the same: the necklace goes on and stays on until he's back.
Do you have any pieces of jewelry you always wear? What are they?
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