Friday, January 8, 2021

Bees v Pearls

 When I was sixteen, I got my ears pierced. I could have gotten them pierced earlier, but I was afraid of the pain. What made me overcome the fear of the pain was pearls. I wanted pearl earrings.

I wore my gold starter studs for a few months until I lost them. I took them off for a dance performance and I couldn't find them afterwards. After that, I worn pearl earring almost every day since then.

I have other earrings--loops, dangling earrings, sand dollars and even earrings made of Legos--that I've tried for a few days, but I always go back to my pearls. A few years I bought some nice aquamarine ones, but still I prefer the pearls.

This year for Christmas, the Boy bought me earrings shaped like bees. He gets $25 a week in allowance from his treatment program. Unlike the other kids, he saves most of his money. When he came home for the holidays, he had $100 in his pocket. 

He bought these earrings for me with his allowance. When he was in Seattle, the Boy was trolling around Pike Place Market and bought my Christmas gift.

As everyone knows, the world is upside down. The pandemic has us forced inside and there is deep political unrest.

When the outside world is crazy, it takes more effort to stay calm on the inside. Throw in stress at work and stress in family, and tossed in isolation and wow what a mess.

I have a few difficult meetings this morning. After I hopped out of the shower and got dressed, I went to my jewelry box. As usual, I reached for my pearls.

Then I saw the bees and I started to cry. If the Boy is making it through all he has been through, so can I. 

This morning, the bees won.

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