Passing on a Keepsake

In previous posts I’ve talked about how I actually use some of my heirlooms or in other cases I wasn’t sure what to do with my heirloom. 

Today I want to talk about another way to use an heirloom or a keepsake. I recently found a favorite childhood necklace of mine. You can tell it’s been well loved from the stains and fraying of the ribbon. 

Again this is not something that has monetary value, it just has sentimental value to me. I loved ballet as I child. I read every ballet book in my elementary school library. I watched ballet as often as it was on the local PBS station, mostly The Nutcracker at Christmas.

I dreamed of being a prima ballerina, but sadly lessons were never available in my small community. But somehow this necklace always made me feel special. I don’t remember where the necklace came from - the store, who gave it to me, or if it was given to me on a special occasion. But I remember the feeling it gave me every time I wore it - like my dreams were still possible. 

My twin daughters are starting to develop an interest in dance and ballerinas in particular. So with this keepsake I’m going to take it apart and make three separate necklaces. One for each of my daughters and one for me. I'm going to be given it to them on their birthday. I'm sure they won't grasp the true specialness of these necklaces this birthday (they'll be four), but hopefully years down the road they will understand.

And I hope the necklaces makes them feel just as special as it made me feel all those years ago.