What Unexpected Treasures Have You Received?

by Kimberly A. Cook            (Twitter@ WarriorTales)

An author talked about how most of the writers she knew had some type of hobby where they made things. She felt even though writers have all this creativity streaming onto paper and keyboard, we still needed a way to be physically creative.

Besides hoarding, er collecting, books and shoes and fabric and yarn, my preferred hobby is jewelry making. Started at age ten, the same age when I knew I was a writer. Being the packrat, I still have most of my jewelry treasures and continue to add to the collection.

An unexpected surprise occurred last week that made we wonder what treasures we all have and overlook so easily. A work colleague recently lost her grandmother and sister-in-law. She met with her family to divide things up, sort memories so to speak. They both had jewelry. She asked if there might be anything I would be interested in. “If you have leftovers, I will give them a good home,” I said.

The next week she arrived with two bags of jewelry and this fabulous jewelry box for me to take home and add to the collection. I was stunned. Not only is the jewelry box adorable, I’ve never seen one like this before, but I was touched to know she felt I would give her grandmother’s special treasure box loving care.

When I thought about it, I realized my jewelry collection contains beads from my editor Cindy’s mother, my friend Joann’s mother, my brother-in-law’s mother’s button collection, my grandmother’s jewelry, and my mother has given me rings she can no longer wear.

Each piece of jewelry is an intimate possession from another person’s life. When I started collecting jars of broken jewelry at Goodwill at age ten, somehow I knew those treasures needed a loving home. Perhaps that is one reason I’m a writer who collects and tells veteran’s stories too, so they have a new home and sparkle for all who want to read the tales.

Never underestimate the power of an unexpected gift. Take the time to wonder about the types of stories you write and how you started to collect those tales. Perhaps all writers are treasure hunters of a different sort, always looking for gems in the rough. Diamonds may be a girl’s best friend, according to the song, but gathering and writing stories are the true gems in a writer’s life.