On
the occasion of the birthday today of my darling daughter Sarah, I am
posting this story that I wrote last year about Sarah's milestone
birthday.
Sarah
turned 30 this week – July the 7th. In the days leading
up to Sarah's birthday, one story kept rolling over and over in my
mind. It had to do with my own 30th birthday. My parents
had been living in Florida for about 3 years, but they were in town
around the time of my birthday – visiting all the Buffalo
relatives. Mom was at the table in my Grandmother's house, the two of
them drinking cup after cup of hot tea, Mom and Granny; and at some
point Mom said she had gotten me something special for my 30th
birthday!
Mom said that she felt so terrible about having a child who was turning
30, that she had to buy herself some gold so she could feel better
again. And she showed me a beautiful gold bracelet that she had
purchased for herself – it was on Mom's left wrist and looked
lovely. Of course, as soon as Mom bought the bracelet she realized
how awkward it was that she purchased something so valuable for
herself on the occasion of her daughter's 30th birthday –
and Mom went back to the store and got me a matching gold bracelet. And
that was my present. I still have it, and it is still beautiful.
 |
| My 30 Bracelet |
And
so it would of course follow that I had to get a bracelet for Sarah
for her 30th birthday, right? The tradition had to
continue!
I
am not one to frequent jewelry stores, and I certainly do not know
prices. After stopping by a couple of places and feeling completely
lost, I remembered that Mike and I got our wedding bands at a place
in Discover Mills – now Sugarloaf Mills, a mall by our house, and
it was not that uncomfortable an experience. So I ended up there,
looking over the offerings at Zales.
Was
the bracelet the way to go, or would any piece of jewelry qualify to
continue the tradition? Sarah has a platinum wedding band – I
wondered if gold would look all right, or if something else would be
a better match for her?
Inside
the bracelet display case, I saw what I thought was perfect – in
fact, I was sure I would not find anything else I would like as much
for this special occasion. It was not platinum, but it was not all gold
– it was a silver and gold mix. Soon it was on a pillow, in a box, in a
Zales bag. Tears popped into my eyes - this was so emotional!.
 |
| Sarah's 30 Bracelet |
I didn't see Sarah on her actual birthday, but two days later, Sarah was telling a story at an event
called the Rabbit Box at the Melting Point in Athens. I was there as her guest, and I got to sit in the front row of an audience of about 300 people!
Sarah told the
story of her Cinderella dress – a story that perfectly illustrates the
incredible woman she has become!
And the crowd loved her!
We had a
hotel room for the night in Athens, and Sarah suggested we go to
Applebys, next to the hotel, for dinner.
Each of us ordered a margarita, and toasted to another wonderful
storytelling event. And we toasted Sarah's 30th birthday.
Then I told her the story of the gold bracelet that Mom gave me for my 30th
birthday, and from my purse I gave Sarah the bag that held the box that held the pillow that held a 30 bracelet for her.
She
loves the bracelet and the story!
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| Both 30 Bracelets |
And
there is a little bit more to the older part of this story. Mom got
the bracelet for my 30th birthday after getting a bracelet
for herself to feel better for having a child over 30 years old.
Three years later, my brother, Clark, turned 30, and two years after
that, my brother, Eric, my parents' youngest child, turned 30. Eric
asked Mom where his gold was? If Mom had felt bad when her oldest hit
30, then she must have been really down in the dumps when her
youngest reached 30! What did she buy for herself, and what was she
going to give him? I don't think there was any gold involved in
Eric's thirtieth birthday – and I do not know what Clark's thoughts
were on the subject.
But,
Amanda, be sure that the tradition will continue on your 30th,
and Virginia – hopefully for your 30th also!
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| Daughter and Mother 30 Bracelets |
187 20150707 Happy Birthday Sarah
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