Remembering What is Important

Everyone has objects or symbols that are important to them and it always has a deeper meaning than other perceive. No matter what it is or why it is special, it is important to you and it tells a story about your life. Along with other people I have a few significant objects in my life that are very important to me.

                When I turned ten-years-old my great grandmother gave me a tiny silver cross with engraved designs on it. This metal had been held in the hands of my great-great-grandfather and it had been passed down to me. This small cross represents my faith and trust in God. Not only does the cross reveal my Christian faith, but it also shows where my faith came from and how it all got started. My grandma grew up in a strict religious home, but she did not want this for me, she wanted me to choose my religion for myself. My grandma started to bring me to church with her when I was just a baby and I continued until I turned eleven, a year after she gave me the cross. I got to a point where I never wanted to go to church anymore because I felt like it was forced on me. Two years ago I decide to continue going to church, but at a different church with my grandpa. Looking at the shining silver reminds of my journey and struggle to know Christ and it reminds me of my family religious history.

                Going into Kindergarten I received a stuffed dog. It soon became my favorite stuffed animal that I would take with me everywhere.  I received this dog from my grandparents after I got my tonsils out and from then on it never left my side. Into stores and every night by my side the dog followed me around. Even today I still keep it in my room. I never knew why it had a special place in my heart, but from the beginning this stuffed dog was essential.

                When I look back on it I believe the dog was so special to me because it reminded of both my family that gave it to me and also my real dogs themselves. My first dog was named Lucky. He got this name because he always ran away, but always came back. One day he did not come back. Later on we got a new dog named Jack. Jack was my best companion and I loved him dearly. Sadly this summer Jack died unexpectedly from cancer. One day on the side of the road, we found another dog, which we call “Big Dog”. We put signs up everywhere, but no one ever claimed the dog so we decided to keep him. Finally, our last dog that we just got is Sam. Sam is very special to me because he is Jack’s last brother and he was born right after Jack’s death. Both my previous and current pets mean to the world to me and they all are individually represented in my stuffed dog.

                A fairly new symbol to me is my birthstone ring. I received the ring this year for my fifteenth birthday. As one looks at the ring they see a sparkling emerald ring with a silver base, but I see it as more. For several years I have wanted a birthstone ring, but my mother told me to wait that she would buy me one on my fifteenth birthday. I was so excited this year that I would finally receive my very own ring. My mom took me to several places where we looked for the perfect ring for me. It was a memorable bonding experience with my mother as we went store to store searching and we got to spend a lot of time together. Every day when I wear my ring I think about the fun we had together and the importance of family and a mother daughter bond, rather than her just going to pick out a ring for me herself.

                Whatever your significant symbols or objects in your life are, keep them with you and do not forget why they are important to you. These objects are very important to me for many reasons and I hope they stay that way for a long time.