SUNDAY MEMORIES
Judy Wills
I have always loved jewelry. I guess I come by that honestly – after all, I am female!My Mother’s only sibling, my Aunt Jessie, was what we used to call an “old maid.” She never married, and her mother, my grandmother, lived with her. And because Jessie didn’t have children of her own, she rather doted upon my brother and myself. Most of the time that was a good thing….sometimes it got me into trouble with my parents.
But Jessie had a love of “things” – and jewelry was one of those things. She and Granny lived in San Antonio, Texas for many years, and I know that she would frequent some of the pawn shops there and buy beautiful rings at bargain prices. I think that’s where she acquired most of her jewelry, as she didn’t inherit it.
When I was one-year-old, she gave me a ring with a small diamond in it. I really don’t understand that logic – a diamond ring to a one-year-old? I’m sure that my Mother never let me wear it! Perhaps it was just a “posterity” thing.
Jessie made friends with an Army nurse while in San Antonio. In the 1950’s this friend was stationed in Korea, during the Korean war. While there, she purchased a pearl ring that she gave to me. I actually did wear that one. And somehow, that ring was damaged. The pearl was intact, but the ring was a mess. So Jessie took both the pearl and the diamond rings. She showed me a design that she had in mind, to combine the diamond and pearl into one ring. It was a rather intriguing design.
And before long, she had the ring in hand, and it was on my finger. I’ve had the ring since the early 1960’s, and it is a favorite of mine. I enjoy wearing it a lot, knowing she had it made, just for me.
After Jessie and Granny moved to Albuquerque, New Mexico, she became enamored with turquoise jewelry. And she loved all things turquoise – in any design. And she loved BIG turquoise jewelry. Big and heavy.
She always wore a lot of turquoise jewelry, but she never lost her love of the “finer” jewelry. She had favorites that she wore a lot.
I am pleased to say that my Aunt Jessie and I both shared a love of jewelry, and she gave hers to me in her will. And so, every time I wear jewelry that is from her, I think of her…remember her.
She, herself, was a jewel in my life.
Old Things R New 