Today I put on my charm bracelet as I left the house. Now, this is no ordinary charm bracelet. This is the gift I received on my 40th birthday from my family. My parent’s gifted me the bracelet itself and then each person or family unit presented me with charms and a story of why they chose that charm for me.
This bracelet contains the following love charms…
Aunt Dot gifted me….
A sunshine charm cause her and I travel to the sun together
A follow your dreams charm because she has supported me in the start-up of Visiting Angels and many other dreams
Hermie gifted me….
A live, laugh, love charm because I live these words AND love words.
Len and Marcia, Olivia, Noah, Sonta and Jean Marc gifted me….
A heart charm that is inscribed with “Haiti”
My birthstone charm because I am special
A sombrero charm representing our trip to Mexico to celebrate
An Angel charm because of Visiting Angels of West Michigan
Nick and Jonna, Andrew and Ryan gifted me….
A drill charm cause Nick is willingly my handy man
A number 2 charm cause we have an inside family joke on that one.
A football charm cause I go to Chicago to watch Andrew play football
A cello charm cause Ryan plays cello and I enjoy his concerts
Arlene and Dan, Janneke, Henry, Anne, Karolyn, Ellie gifted me….
A balloons charm cause Dan remembers how I would send the kids balloons for their birthday when they lived in California and Minnesota
A wreath charm because Arlene and I have an inside joke
A suitcase charm because I took Janneke to Haiti
A #1 charm for being a great aunt
A dog charm cause Anne is Dutch’s personal trainer
A cruise ship charm cause we went on a cruise as a family to celebrate my 40th
A horse charm because I took Ellie horse back riding
Suzi, Andy, Peter, Isaiah and Johanna gifted me…
A softball charm cause I taught Suzi all her softball skills when I was in HS and she was 8
A clock charm cause I am generous with my time for their family
A heart charm that says “best babysitter”
A french fries charm cause Peter and Isaiah love to go to McDonalds.
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I find that when I put on this bracelet, I can feel the love….
I find that when I put on this bracelet, I can hear the words….
I find when I put on this bracelet, I can see the faces….
I find when I put on this bracelet, I am reminded of how I am blessed to be in the community of my family, to be loved unconditionally by my parents, aunt, brothers and sisters and their spouses and a whole slew of children.
I find when I put on this bracelet, I am aware of how blessed and loved I am.
I think I will wear this bracelet again tomorrow!
What a fabulous gift….not only (be)cause of the charms themselves, but more especially (be)cause of the intentional choices and thoughts of appreciation of all you mean to these very specially loved ones. How cherished you are!
PS It’s a good thing you wrote down all the significances of the charms, because regretfully some day you might forget one or two….
It was my idea 🙂
what a beautiful, wonderful, and special gift to have a moment to moment reminder of the love that is felt for you. I think you need a charm of red lipstick or bubble gum. tee,hee