Jewels Are a Girl’s Best Friend.

Theme: Take the moment and taste it, you’ve got no reason to be afraid.

Visual element: Paintings

The gems are locked in with metal brackets carrying a story within them. I own many different
necklaces. Some sparkle and shine while others are dark and dull. All are beautiful I will say but only 3
constantly drape from my neck.

The first one has beads the colors of a light stormy sky alternating with snowy white. This
necklace was given to me by one of my closest friends on February 5, 2022.
I feel like each bead represents a memory I have with her, the white ones representing the days
filled with dancing in the rain, laughter, and warmth whenever I’m around her. The purple represents
lightning and thunder, moments of silence, and shivers running down my spine.
The first time she and I hung out (outside of school) was my 15th birthday. The drama had made
its way through the brick wall I had built to protect my group, and suddenly 10 became 3.
We had built our own island out of cold kitchen tiles with walls made from warm-colored
cabinets. We sat there. Careless about what was being said below us. We filled the rooms in my house
with echoing giggles and soon enough the ice-cold tiles became a warm inviting area. We sat on that floor
for hours connecting with each other and creating a bond we probably never would have found without
them.
This moment taught me that even when the worse of the worse pops up in your life you can make
the best memories out of them.

The second one contains beads that remind me of a midnight blue sky that was melted into our
silver moon.
June 28, 2021, was when this necklace was given to me by my aunt Jeri. Earlier that year my
aunt Mary passed away from cancer.
My heart had shattered and all I wanted was to carry her soul on with me. She was a kind and
generous woman with so many beautiful dreams. Wearing this necklace close to my heart makes me
believe that she is always standing over my shoulders.
The first time I left home to go live with my dad’s side of the family, my stomach filled with
butterflies and salted streams ran down my face. As the car backed out of the driveway my body started to
shake and all I wanted to do was change my mind. I remember her looking back at me and grabbing my
hand, she held it tight and wouldn’t let go until she knew that I was okay.
Her presence created this bubble that was untouchable and her voice created a hideaway from all
that was scary in the world. She taught me that even a small act can create such a big change in how you
can feel.

The third necklace that dangles from my neck is the shiniest of them all.
September 17, 2022, was when my grandmother went through her jewelry box with the intention
of letting go of the stories she had held on to for many years. This necklace reminds me of the golden
glow on top of the mountains when the sun rises.
When I was younger I remember waking up to that warm glow coming in from the windows
across my bed. The birds were chirping and the train was making its first run of the day. The sunlight
created a path from my room into my grandparent’s room and then onto the deck. There I would find the
two of them sitting in peace reading the newspaper and drinking their coffee. I would just sit with them,
the world was no longer spinning and time was no longer ticking. It was just me and them in this world.
They showed me love and they built us a corner where those memories would always stay. I still
stay in those memories today because I was shown that happiness can come from people's souls and not
objects.

My best memories aren’t made up of the big experiences, they are made up of what seems like a
forgotten moment. All the people that I carry along with me around my neck push me to find the good
moments in small, scary, or bad situations. I am grateful that the gems and diamonds can keep these
memories safe and intact with my heart and soul because It’s better to taste the moment than be afraid of
it.