My mother doesn't wear a lot of jewelry. She's not an ostentatious person at all, very down to earth. She knows how to look nice but it's never loud or flashy. And clearly, if my first thoughts about jewelry are all connected with the words "ostentatious" and "flashy," she passed some of that down-to-earthness on to me. It's not that she doesn't wear jewelry. She does, and quite lovely jewelry too; she just doesn't make it a big deal.
I can only remember a few pieces of her jewelry from when I was growing up. Pearl earrings and necklaces. Her a diamond engagement ring - a simple gold band and single diamond. She usually just wore (and still wears) her gold wedding band, completely unadorned and lovely. I remember when my dad gave her a beautiful set of deep blue sapphire earrings and a ring for one of their anniversaries, or maybe it was her birthday. When she isn't wearing her precious, beautiful jewelry, she keeps it in a small wooden box with delicate flowers painted on the lid. I remember peering into the box and admiring the bits of gold and jewel inside when I was little. The lid fit back on the box the way a nesting doll fits together, with a sharp snap.
Write about her shoes. Go. Another ten.
My mom's shoes are all very comfortable. She had (has?) a pair of red-brown textured rubber sandals from Hawaii that she loves loves loves loves. In fact, she had a pair that broke and she commissioned a family member going to Hawaii to bring her back another pair. She also only buys shoes for work that she can stand to wear all day. Funny, that's probably where I get my fashion priorities, too - comfort, then style. Ironically, I think my main exception to those priorities are when I'm buying shoes. How else would I end up with a pair of deep pink, four-inch heels?
I remember my mom's church shoes from when I was growing up. Modest, neutral colors like white and black. A gently pointed toe and low heel. I remember them piled on the wooden boards of her closet floor and trying them on, my little feet several inches away from being "grown up." I also think of my mom's exercise shoes. She's by far the most athletic person in our family, and I've always been proud of her for that. She swims and bikes and is running now, too. She has new running shoes that are silver with what in my mind are neon green laces and trim. (It might be neon blue, though.) Those exercise and hiking and running shoes have always been a part of who she is.
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