The Family Jewels
When I went to Colombia for the Holidays, two days before coming back to Canada, my mom called me into her room and she had her jewels on the bed. She told me it was time to pass them to me because she wasn’t going to use them anymore (dad died, she doesn’t go out to parties anymore, and she keeps what she uses in a separate box). At first I said no because I felt a big responsibility by carrying all that gold with me, but I finally accepted (leaving some to her, though); they aren’t too many, but still… I know not only the monetary value, but also the sentimental one. These jewels have been either passed from generation to generation, given as anniversary gifts from my dad or special days gifts from my grandma. The jewels of the family are a love legacy and they mean more than just their weight.
A few weeks ago my mother in law pierced her ears again and she had the “default” earrings they gave her at the place where she had them pierced. She has been talking about getting nice gold earrings for sometime and I thought I could give (or let her borrow) a pair from my collection. When I opened the box to choose one, I just couldn’t make myself do it. I might be really selfish, but why would I give my mom’s legacy to someone who hasn’t even had the courtesy to call her once during my 5 years of marriage? Someone who hasn’t even been able to say thank you for the gifts my mom has sent her over these years? No, she doesn’t deserve my mother’s earrings.
Don’t get me wrong, I love my mother in law, she’s a great person; but passing a pair of earrings that mean so much to me is not something I’m going to do for her just now. She spends a big deal of money paying for an interior decorator, books, botox/therma-lift treatments, vacations to Cuba every year and dining with her best friend every weekend. She can go and buy herself something to wear. I’ll keep my mom’s love legacy for myself. Every jewel in my box was bought with great effort, we aren’t rich people.
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