It’s silly, really. They’re only earrings. My mom’s earrings. She never got her ears pierced so she had a cache of earrings, all “better costume jewelry.” I’m sure I contributed to her stash.

Obviously neither Deb nor I could get rid of them. I had some. She had some.  They were mom’s. Neither of us wore them. But couldn’t quite let them go. But when Deb died, there I was, with more screw earrings than I was ever going to wear. Time to let go. It’s not hard to figure that my mantra is only open hands open heart because I have such a hard time letting go… but Abundance is meant to be shared and marveled at.

So, I found my friend Ann, realized that she had unpierced ears. Asked her if she wanted more earrings. (and who doesn’t?) Ann took them asking lots of questions about Betty, she wanted to know the woman who’s earrings she was wearing. I liked knowing a stylish musician was wearing a stylish artist’s earrings. Ann decided to share her new treasure trove: “Warren’s sister Janice (and her only daughter Marie) also lack pierced ears. Janice lives in Reynoldsville, but she and her husband Art are building a retirement home near Newville.  In the meantime, they bought a Newville house that is across the street from eldest son Brian and his wife and 4 children.  (The house they are building is within sight, but probably a mile’s drive from their “camp” house.) Janice and Art get to Newville when they can to meet with contractors about house construction choices and progress.  They typically stay for the weekend so they can see all 8 grandchildren; the grandchildren’s parents all go to the same church.  After church, Janice and Art go home to Reynoldsville ville so Art can visit his mother in a Titusville nursing home.  Janice saves time and packing by having Betty’s earrings at their Newville camp house, wearing them to church and then to their Reynoldsville house.  I suspect Betty would chuckle.” I suspect she would as well.

I love the stories of stuff. Did I say this yesterday? If only history hadn’t always been wars. I’d have immersed myself in the history of daily lives and been willing to hear how government, weather and wars changed lives. I might even have learned more about wars and why they happened if you’d have given me an earring story now and again…

Stories connect us. It may not be earrings for you, but something has traveled from hand to hand and heart to heart. It’s surprising how deeply those gifts and those stories can touch and pleasure us.  Now I’m connected by a screw back earring to women across the country that I’ll never meet. But they know stories of Betty and her daughters through a sweet friend and some earrings. Building small communities of Peace happens in the weirdest and simplest of ways. Peace. Pass it on.