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Monday, September 30, 2013

A Timeless Family Locket

Nearly one year ago, I was preparing to leave my hometown in the DC suburbs to move to San Diego. I spent one morning going through a bunch of my mom's belongings, to decide what I wanted to take with me. I found beautiful vintage jewelry she had worn back when she was my age, her bracelet from the hospital when she was born, and this...


A golden locket with pictures of my mom's beautiful mother and her handsome father. The two grandparents I never had the chance to meet. I often think about what they would have been like. I've always looked in awe at the few black and white pictures I've seen of them because, although they're family, they're so untouchable. All I'll know of them is those pictures. I'll never know the sound of their voices or how they hugged me.

My mom's mother passed away suddenly when my mom was only 13 but from the pictures I've seen, she was absolutely beautiful. Her smile was so radiant and contagious and reminds me so much of my mom's. I wonder about the dreams she had for her only daughter, my mom. I feel such a special connection to her. A desire to be just like what I imagine she would have been like. I know she was there to embrace my mom last February and I know they're up there now, sitting together, watching me and smiling.

This post was surprisingly very difficult for me to get through. I didn't think I'd be struck with such grief upon discussing the two grandparents that were gone before I was born. But they remind me of the loss of my mom. They remind me of how precious our time here on Earth is. How precious our time with our parents truly is. There are so many questions I wish I could ask my mom. There are so many moments I didn't get to share with her. I know how deeply the loss of her mom wrecked her and completely uprooted the rest of her life here. I know the peace she had as she passed into the next life, knowing she would finally be reunited with her own sweet mother. And that helps. To know that although we lost her, she gained her mom by her side again.

One day, I'll gain my mom by my side again. And I'll finally meet her mother and father, and I'll finally know their voices and feel how they hug me.

5 comments:

Anonymous said...

What a heartfelt story. Thanks for sharing it. It is a very beautiful locket and cherished keepsake. I also have a locket with my grandparents pictures in it that was my mom's. I believe they are all together hugging, smiling and waiting too.

Emily said...

This is a super sweet post. I understand the feeling of looking at old photographs of my family and wishing I had known them or had known them when they were young. Your locket is definitely a treasure.


Emily
eageremily.blogspot.com

Emily said...

This is a super sweet post. I understand the feeling of looking at old photographs of my family and wishing I had known them or had known them when they were young. Your locket is definitely a treasure.


Emily
eageremily.blogspot.com

Karen said...

Such a precious story. And such a beautiful keepsake. It's wonderful that you can keep their memory alive through it. :)

Unknown said...

Chelsea, it is no surprise that you have found a perfect keepsake for your family with that locket. I deal with lockets and customers all day long and have an endless fascination with everything "locket".
Your story is a familiar one because so many people use lockets almost like talismans. They put in photos to create a connection or keep the connection(memories) alive between themselves and the people in the photos. Sometimes they used a small object that did the same thing. Such as bit of hair or piece of fabric. And when you carry it or when you find it after many years as you did, it comes alive and the memories are right there again. That is why you are feeling such strong emotions over it.
You are luck to have found this, and now you can keep it safe for your children to treasure.
-lauren
www.heartsmith.com