For a few years now, I have been working on letting go of many of my parents things. Over half has been given to family or charity and yet an estate sale is still required. My parents went through the Depression and saved everything! They were the most resourceful people I have ever known and yet that resourcefulness has left me with an overabundance of things to be waded through. In addition, they were remarkably good people, the kind of people that I aspire to be. This means their things are imbued with tremendous meaning for me. As I have sought to find the treasures in the midst of the volume, the question has been “would you take this to Australia”? One of the treasures that I found was my dad’s watch. He won this watch in the early 1960’s for being one of the top peanut farmers in the state of Alabama! While he never wore jewelry, he always kept this watch on his dresser. Neglected for 50 plus years, it took a little work by our jeweler to clean it up. Today I picked it up with it’s new watch band! This journey to Australia is not just about having a new adventure. It is also about wrapping up this phase of my life. They say you know you are a grownup when you lose your parents. I would add to that saying that “you know you are an adult when you have to let your childhood home and many of your parents things go”! While our Australian visa deadline is pushing me to work faster on this process, days like today when a wonderful treasure is brought back to life helps with the roller coaster of emotions that I am navigating. I think my dad would be proud that his lovely old watch will be gracing my wrist both in the United States and in Australia!
What an emotional, challenging roller coaster you are on. But just like a roller coaster it is exhilarating. More than just a keepsake the watch represents the old (the past) and the new (the future). I know you will wear it with pride. Well done.
Indeed Rhonda! I am overwhelmed most days with what we are undertaking! Thank you so much for your kind comments! Love and hugs!
It looks fantastic on you.
Thanks so much Suzanne! I really like how it turned out!