What’s one thing you own that holds deep sentimental value?
I don’t wear any jewelry. No, necklaces, bracelets or even my wedding ring. The job I had involved being around automated machinery so it was discouraged to have anything dangling from ones wrists or neck, if a piece of jewelry got caught in the machinery well that could have been disastrous.
When I was first married I wore my wedding ring but I worked outside and my fingers were frequently cold and the ring slipped off my finger frequently or got stuck in the gloves I was wearing. I was constantly worried I might lose it and I convinced my wife it was better to have it sitting on the dresser than to lose it at work. She agreed if reluctantly and I occasionally wore it when not at work. Now for some reason it doesn’t fit….let’s be honest, I know exactly why it doesn’t fit but I’m reluctant to admit why. I tried it on about a year ago and after pushing it past my second knuckle I suddenly became alarmed when I couldn’t get it off. Eventually with some cold water and tugging it came off but I vowed never to do that again.
When I said earlier I don’t wear jewelry that’s not exactly true. I do wear watches or a watch almost every day. I have many watches. I have a watch I received when I retired….the ceremonial gold watch so to speak, except mine is silver and because it has the company logo on it I’m reminded when I wear it of the career I had, the good and the bad….I rarely wear it but occasionally I do, it is a nice watch and I still think fondly of my career. Mainly I think of the people I worked with, the laughs we had and the friendships formed and although I rarely see most of them the watch reminds me of them so perhaps I should wear it more often.
I have 2 watches that sit on my dresser, they need a battery, their times frozen at the moment they stopped ticking. Ironically both of the watches were gifts from long ago from when I stood in weddings for friends. I rarely see these friends anymore and although I still consider them friends for some reason I’ve yet to get batteries to make the watches work again. It’s almost as if the friendships waned the moment the watches stopped working or perhaps the friendship had already changed and the watches are just a reminder of what once was. If I get batteries for these watches will I also be moved to rekindle friendships or by leaving them sitting on my dresser growing dusty is it a reminder that friends come and go and rare is the friend that stays forever….deep huh.
The watch I wear the most, practically everyday, is the watch my mother gave me when my dad passed away. It was his watch and since a son should always have his fathers watch she thought it was appropriate that I have it. I also have a younger brother and I certainly don’t think my mom was playing favorites when she gave me my fathers watch but she knows that my brother never wears a watch choosing instead to look at his phone when needing to know the time.
I think she gave it to me because she knew I would wear it and I’m a bit sentimental about gifts. There’s no greater gift to me than the symbolic gift even if it’s relatively inexpensive, even more so if it’s inexpensive.
My dad wore this watch daily, it wasn’t the only watch he had but it was his last watch and so I wear every day taking him with me as I go to the store or bank or over the visit my mom. I think she notices that I wear it and to be clear that’s not why I do it but I think it also makes her happy to see it being worn. A small gesture that keeps my fathers memory alive and as I said earlier….a son should have his fathers watch.
Peace and Love,
John
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