Cloisonne earrings to celebrate a rite of passage

I had my first baby, Sarah Whitney Lima, about 1:00 in the morning on August 24^th, 1980 with Skip at my side. My sister Deidra was a labor and delivery room nurse at Michael Reese Hospital at the time, and she had provided a plethora of information about pregnancy and childbirth to me as I went through each month of my pregnancy.  When I started worrying about whether our house would be adequate, and whether we would have enough money to support a family, Dee assured me that my concerns were perfectly normal in my eighth month of pregnancy.  “It’s the nesting period”, she said, everything will be great.”  She encouraged me to take Lamaze classes, say no to the epidural, and question my OB/GYN about the number of C-sections in their practice.  Dee was my mentor, although she was not yet a Mother herself.  Her specialty in all things related to childbirth was considerable, and her expertise helped me sail through my pregnancy with ease.

To acknowledge the success of the pregnancy period and to celebrate the arrival of my beautiful daughter Sarah, Dee gave me a beautiful pair of cloisonné earrings that were precisely the right size, shape, weight, color, and design for me.  I so appreciated this gift that was just for me at a time when I was completely absorbed in the post-natal period of all things baby, all the time.  I felt supported in my new role, and somewhat venerated as the first to provide the family with a new member—a niece—granddaughter—daughter.  I wore the earrings every chance I could. And, then I lost one.

I do not really remember the circumstances of the loss, but I know that once recognized, I felt it deep in the pit of my stomach.  The disappointment has lasted over decades now, and I still wish I could find the mate to the pair of earrings I found so thoughtful and powerful in celebrating the enormous life shift from being an individual and married to being a Mom.

The cloisonné earring that remains is a lovely reminder of that first day of being a Mother.  I would love to wear the pair again because the earrings themselves were so perfect for the time and my taste.  But even without its mate, the earrings remind me of the love my sister had for me, and the acknowledgement that I had done a great job at pregnancy and birth and was headed for my new life in the most challenging role of a lifetime:  Mom.

The Lost Earring Project

THE LOST EARRING PROJECT

Ever since Doc. Seno pierced my ears in his Hillside, IL medical office in 1967 I have enjoyed shopping for, choosing, and coveting earrings.  In fact, I enjoy everything about earrings except the process of looking for earrings when I have lost one.  Perhaps this is such an anguishing activity because it is really never finished.  Seldom does the long search for the treasured earring result in a find.  When it does, however, it reinforces the behavior of holding on to the singletons—even years after the loss—in hopes of someday running across its mate.  But saving the remaining earring is also a way of holding on to the history attached to the pair, and bringing back a poignant memory or experience every time you open your jewelry box.

A lot of the earrings I’ve acquired have a story connected with them.  I often buy earrings to celebrate special occasions or as a keepsake of a wonderful day or place I’ve visited.  This blog is about the stories connected to the earrings we have loved and lost. 

Your story can be about the acquisition, the wearing, the loss, or the feelings associated with the earrings.  If you can, please post a picture of the remaining earring so that fellow readers can link your story and the visual image.  You do not need to write a long story.  Feel free to post a picture, a one-sentence description, or small entry. 

Everyone I have talked to about the project has an earring without a mate.  And, if by chance you happen to find the match to someone else's earring, we'll have a special reuniting section for sharing the good news! Please invite your friends, family and associates to share their stories.