I bought a pair of earrings when I was in Reykjavík, Iceland last November from the Rammagerdin gift shop inside Perlan. I loved the contrast between the cool silver hoop and the raw lava rock, and how it reflected Iceland’s landscape. I thought the accessory was sweet, delicate, and it totally complemented my sense of style. There was no question, I had to have them.
I wore them as often as I could until the inevitable happened, I lost one (I bet this isn’t the first time you’ve heard that, and I can almost guarantee that it won’t be the last).
I was distraught. I retraced my steps. I called the offices and businesses I visited that day hoping that someone might have found it and turned it in. I combed through receipts from my time in Reykjavík looking for a clue to find another pair. I looked online for another set to purchase. Every effort came up short.
As I put the lone survivor in my jewelry cabinet I tried to accept that I wouldn’t find its partner and wrestled with the idea of not wearing the set again. I thought about my Motivation Monday post from earlier this week and what I loved about the accessory. Then it hit me: It wasn’t the earrings themselves that I loved.
I loved the earrings because of how they made me feel and how they reminded me of how special my trip was.
Those earrings represented an extraordinary trip with my mother, grandmother, and family friend. We laughed, got lost, and enjoyed each others’ company as we experienced the wonders of Iceland (and Ireland) together. Thinking about the experiences we had, the people we met, and (of course) the food we ate brought me happiness, and every time I wore those earrings those feelings returned.
I realized that I didn’t need to have a pair of earrings to remind myself of the trip and continue feeling that happiness. I decided to take my own advice and redirect my energy into something creative and productive.
Instead of obsessing that I no longer had a pair of earrings to wear, I added a chain to the remaining earring and made it into a necklace.
It still reminds me of my travels and gives me the same feelings of excitement and happiness I had when it was an earring. It still represents Iceland, I can still wear it as often as I’d like, it still complements my style, and I still love it. Let’s just hope I don’t lose this, too!
personal breathing space 