Tag Archive

NUMBER ONE & FOREMOST (!): I cannot live without the necklace that I wear every single day. I wear it every day, except for the few occasions I need to dress formally, or if I need to take it off for a doctor’s exam. I even wear my necklace when I swim or shower. My necklace is a slim gold chain with three charms: a good luck red envelope/packet 紅包(given to me as a wedding gift by my brother), a gold key (given to me by my maternal grandmother), & a non-descript jade figure (given to me by my mother). I have had & worn this necklace since my early childhood & will continue to wear it until the end of my days.

SECOND: I cannot live without my handkerchief. It was given to me at a very young age by my late father, & to this day, I feel a strong connection to my father when I use my handkerchief. It’s like a mini version of a security blanket for me, & no matter how worn & frayed it has become, I will still keep it as a fond memory of my awesome dad.

THIRD: I cannot live without my maternal grandmother’s jade bracelet. Well, it’s in part because I have gained weight since I first started wearing it, & therefore cannot take it off unless I physically break my hand. Now, I’m not saying I’m too fat or anything, but my wrist has gotten moderately thicker since I put on the bracelet. My hand was even bruised in several places when I had it put on. So you can imagine what I’d have to go through to have it removed, without cutting the bracelet of course. The main reason I cannot part with this bracelet is because it was kindly given to me by my grandmother, & her family fought hard to get this specific piece of jade & have it carved into a bracelet. The backstory of this bracelet is both unbelievable & incredible at the same time. This bracelet serves as a loving memento of a grandmother whom I cherished.