Anticipation builds as I tug at the taunt string. I take a deep breath and it unravels easily as I pull. I’m following the instructions carefully, they are beautiful written, telling me to enjoy the experience, to take my time and revel in it. I do just that. It’s been longer than I can remember since I’ve done what we all tend to forget to do .... something for myself. I’m a gift giver, an empath, a person that often finds ways she can help others who need it. I love this about myself, but I don’t often bestow this kindness inward.
After selling my mountain home, moving back to the city, working 60+ hour work weeks all summer, I felt tired, rundown, and honestly more emotionally burnt out than I had in a long time. Chatting with a friend in a very similar boat it dawned on me that the advice I was giving her - to take some time pampering herself to find her equilibrium again - was something I should have been following in my own life... and stepping out of the box I decided I was going to do something to treat me.
I have friends that periodically date themselves. Going solo to a good dinner, or a movie, or a spa. For me the answer came easy, I was going to send myself a little gift in the mail, a piece of jewelry I’d been eyeing since I first started to follow an ethical jewelry maker from Bali and her eye candy raw gemstones. Though I’m not always the biggest jewelry kind of girl, I am a HUGE lover of rocks, especially raw and with a story, which is how I found- Gardens Of The Sun- one late night when I couldn’t sleep as I was looking for the end of the internet.
To be honest it was the mint green garnets that drew me in. Rough, bright, and earthy, I couldn’t stop imagining what it would be like to crawl through a mine shaft or be digging in the dirt and make the discovery of such fun stones in person. I had to force myself to toggle to the next page for fear I would hit the “put these in my cart” button.... when all of a sudden my screen filled with these iridescent, slightly purple, opals from heaven.
I’ve always been slightly superstitious. I had heard years ago that unless you are an October baby you should never wear opals, that it’s bad luck. It wasn’t until I saw these beauties, kept dreaming about them and going back to look, that I google searched this ancient myth and found it’s origins. Turns out, back in the day the opal industry began to take off when people discovered they are not only way more rare than a lot of other stones, but also incredibly stunning with their shimmer and uniqueness. In order to make sure the diamond stayed king of the engagement world the industry started this legend of bad luck bestowed upon the wearer of an opal, and it has stuck until this day.
Since I'm not much of a diamond fan I did exactly what I had tried to avoid doing the page before, I hit "put in my cart" and before I could hesitate I purchased the beautiful, one of a kind, natural beauties.
What I didn't expect is what came next. No, it was not buyers remorse (which I often get when I purchase something for myself).... I received a letter in my inbox, not an invoice, from my earrings themselves. They talked about their journey as fossils forever ago, and how they were excited to travel across the ocean in their special packaging to spend the next part of their life with me. The whole experience made me giddy to actually receive my gift and see what just how they would arrive.
I was not disappointed.
"Take a moment to breathe, let this second wash over you", were the instructions on my card. Carefully packed away in an artistic jewelry box, I spent the time unwrapping reminding myself why I did this. I was celebrating me for a moment, all my hard work, the things I didn't do so well but learned from, and the achievements I was able to accomplish even when times were tough. I let myself sit with me, and take in everything that got me to that day.
This is not an ad. This company has no idea that I'm writing this. But every time I have a wonderful experience with a fellow artist online I like to share it. If you have a jewelry lover in your life, especially one that likes raw or ethical stones, you really should check this company out. From the second I got my "thank you for inviting me into your home" email from my earrings themselves, to the time I picked up my package it was the most amazing experience.
I went into this trying to do something for myself without knowing what a perfect experience it would be.
Comments