Collections

It's January first so cliche would say I should start this post about New Years. Or resolutions. 

I don't make resolutions and we did have a fun New Years that I will post about later. 

Tonight I came across an item and it made me realize something. All these years the subject of "collections" has come up a time or five. You know, you're asked those kinds of things in small talk or on a questionnaire about yourself. 

Lots of people collect things. Though I don't think so as much anymore as they used to. Spoon collections, car collections...my grandpa has a mean stamp collection. I've always answered that question feeling a little boring that I don't collect anything like shoes or bugs or books. But tonight as I was organizing, I came across my charm bracelet. My parents started it for me when I was really little. I remember when I was young and I got to look at my Granny's charm bracelet thinking "gosh I wonder if I will ever have this many". I sat here tonight looking at each charm and realized I DO collect something! (Thanks to my parents) I collect charms. I have charms representing many many many parts of my life and I love every one of them because every one has a story. I don't think anyone outside of my immediate family even knows I have a charm bracelet...so now I also have an answer to the popular question "what's one thing many people don't know about you?" 

So here's my charm bracelet. I am up to thirty five...and there's only one empty link. 

The long skinny one in the middle was one of my first. When I opened it I said "oh, a celery stalk!" It was from my grandma. My parents had to clue me in that it is, in fact, a Redwood tree. I've only seen thousands on the several hundred acres of their ranch! 

My grandma brought me charms from some of their trips from different parts of the world- my favorite being the rick-shaw that actually moves.

The activities I participated in as a kid are represented as well- ballet, tap, performing on stage, gymnastics, and swimming.

I even have a Lhasa Apso (my childhood dog) and a sheep (also for my grandparents' ranch)

There is a turtle and there are dolphins representing our trips to Hawaii and Mickey and Minnie Mouse for the times I performed in Disneyland.

I have a gondola from my parents' trip to Whistler, a train from Dunsmuir, CA at the Railroad hotel, and a cable car from San Francisco. 

I have a graduation cap and a teacher charm (but I guess I should have a bride and a couple babies for life accomplishments!) and a crab to represent my special nick name from my grandma.

There are a few more that are just for fun (like a porcupine and a chick inside an egg) which I think both came from my grandma (charms were her thing) but for the most part you can look at this bracelet and see a good portion of my life represented. And I love that.