Treasure Find #1 at springcleaning
I found the necklace sitting at the bottom of the drawer, as usual, entangled. It took me about 30 minutes to untangle the mess, the extremely delicate chain at my pudgy fingers’ mercy.
I must confess I’m not a terribly sentimental person. I’m a firm believer that all things that attract dust have no place in my life (or room) so long as I have all the important memories captured somewhere else. Preferably a very small space that does not require frequent cleaning. (This is why letters are kept in shoe boxes at a top secret location. Photos are stored mostly in digital format; hard copy prints almost never.)
But this particular gift - this necklace…I couldn’t let it go. I couldn’t even bear to put it in the special Memories Box at abovementioned Top Secret Location.
It’s not something I’d have bought for myself. First of all, did I mention its two-nanometer-in-diameter chain? Against my giganormous neck, it looks like it might be a mere wisp of imagination. Secondly, it’s a heart-shaped pendant. The last time I’d owned or bought anything bearing a heart design might be that squeeze-y thing that you get after a blood donation. I’m no Little Miss Fashionista, but I do have to say that the necklace does not quite fit my personal style. Now, or even back then.
But to him, he might have thought it was the perfect gift. I rarely wore necklaces, so he probably thought I needed one. It was a classic design, so to his credit, it was a good effort. More importantly, he might have thought that it was a sweet-lookin’ necklace, perfect for his sweet-lookin’ girlfriend.
Of all my relationships, that was possibly the only one where I was, hand on heart, not disagreeable. I was a sweet person! As horribly misleading that would have been. [Excuse me while I shudder violently.] If we stayed together, I probably wouldn’t be the person I am today. Yet, if we weren’t together those couple of years, I would probably no longer believe in love. For that, I am grateful.
These memories with him, I will keep near and dear. The necklace, on the other hand, goes into a proper box - so it doesn’t tangle again - at the bottom of the drawer, sadly but appropriately, never to be worn again.