Here, There, and Everywhere
April 29, 2024
Writer: Anushi Varma
Editor: Chava Makman
It started with a bracelet. Silver. Three pendants: an Eiffel Tower, a key, and a butterfly. I knew it was loose enough to slip off my wrist if I wasn’t paying attention, and yet I took the risk and wore it to a friend’s birthday party. Sure enough, the next morning I went wild as I ransacked my purse, jacket, and room hunting for the bracelet I couldn’t remember bringing home. As if one loss wasn’t enough, the story repeated itself in no time at all. Gold. Thick, solid band. Delicately worn around my right index finger, just waiting to be left behind on the counter of some public bathroom after I removed it to wash my hands (and that’s exactly what happened.)
Fine, I’ve lost some important things, but there are pieces of jewelry I (surprisingly!) have managed to maintain:
A gold chain: I was at home, sitting with my mom perusing through her necklace collection on her bed. As an immigrant from India, gold jewelry is cherished and commonly collected and passed down through generations. While combing through necklaces, I found a particularly dainty and simple gold chain. Now, I wear it day and night.
A gold necklace with my name: In the weeks leading up to my 20th birthday, I still couldn’t figure out what to ask for as a gift from my mom. When I told my mom I had been thinking about a name necklace, she told me she had been thinking the same. I wear it every day, except for when I shower and sleep.
A gold necklace with two pendants: On the day of my high school graduation, my grandma came to our house with this necklace. She told me she used to wear this necklace when she lived in India. On it is her birthstone (garnet for January) and a symbol of the Hindu goddess Durga who represents strength and protection. I wear it during the day, taking extra care to keep it safe (if I lost it, I would scream!)
All jokes aside, jewelry is precious for reasons beyond material worth. Jewelry is a tangible, timeless manifestation of whatever we consider personally meaningful. Whether a symbol for an abstract concept like happiness or strength, a loved one, or a memory, jewelry lets us wear, carry, and show what is important to us. Even when we lose a piece of jewelry, the story it once told is timeless. A symbolic moment is crystallized into a physical piece, and no matter where we go with or without it, jewelry forever honors the feelings and emotions that we will always hold valuable.
I love sharing and hearing stories behind jewelry. It reminds me of how human we are: that we contribute to our world and influence those around us. As time fleets and locations move, we experience and feel more from our surroundings. I wear my jewelry proudly, holding my world literally close to my heart.
