It’s nitty gritty time for packing as I leave for South Dakota bright and early tomorrow morning.
While I have my clothes, shoes and accessories ready to go, I’m still working on the odds n ends—-things I use everyday at home and would be lost without on the road. One of the prime items in that category is my jewelry.
I realize that to most jewelry is an accessory. To me it is a marker, a reminder, a memento of meaningful people and places in my life.
A few pieces of my jewelry fall into the family heirloom category, but most of my earrings, rings, neclaces and bracelets are costume pieces purchased at a special event, while traveling, or given from someone with love.
While packing my jewelry for this trip, I realized that I have pieces directly related to my writing and my books. When it comes to Beauty & Grace, I am honored to own a beautiful handmade pearl bracelet. It was given to me by a woman who has become one of the most stalwart supporters of my writing work. She is also someone I have only met in the online world of Facebook.
Her name is Sylvia and she now lives in California, but we share the pride of having both called Eden, NY our hometown. In fact, that’s how we connected on Facebook a few years back.
From there it’s been a gradual evolution to where we message and email regularly, sharing our challenges and celebrating our successes. And in Sylvia’s case, praising my work and recommending it to others.
It’s a joy being a writer, but it’s solitary, sometimes lonely and often nerve-wracking as you struggle to imagine, dream and craft words into stories and books people may never read, no less enjoy.. That’s where Sylvia’s bracelet comes in.
I expressed my writer’s insecurities to Sylvia one day. In return, she offered words of kindness and comfort . A bit later she followed-up with a message that our conversation caused her worry. As a result she was sending something that she’d made for me and I was to watch for it.
A few days later, as promised, a package arrived from my Facebook friend. When opened, it revealed a glowing pearl and silver bracelet. It was only on closer examination that I saw a charm attached with a seven letter word of encouragement.
“believe”
Like I said, it’s nitty gritty packing time. No doubt, despite my best intentions I will leave something at home that I wanted to bring—-but it won’s be my Facebook friend Sylvia’s bracelet. That bracelet will be on my wrist for all 11 days of my journey, evidence not only of Sylvia’s friendship and abiding belief in me as an accomplished author, but a reminder that I need to believe in myself that way as well.