Minh Truong Basic Writing LLC Object Essay 10-12-2011 My Meaningful Thing Jewelry is one of the favorites of many people nowadays. It can be used for many purposes, either special events or every day wear. The trend in jewelry is elegant, creative, and swanky. I don’t remember how much jewelry I have had, but the one I put in the corner of my desk is my favorite. It seems precious to me not because of its value, because it was a thing that my grandmother left before she passed away in 2006. She put it in a tiny bag, and it was a gold chain with a jade Buddha pendant.

My grandmother gave the chain with a Buddha pendant to me on my fifteenth birthday, December 3rd 2005. It’s snake style 18k gold chain, looks pretty bold, manly, and stylish. The length and the width of my pendant are about 2 inches. The pear shapes and the gold frame on the back make it more opulent and durable. The substance of jade is hard but extremely fragile; it feels a little bit cool when holding it. The smiling Buddha pendant was carved from brilliant old green jade. The color has still stayed unchangeable and in very good shape so far.

In addition, the pattern on the old jade make it stands out and unique. Jade is the symbol of luck, while Buddha is the symbol of peace as well as my religion, Buddhist. I wear my chain only on special occasions like Lunar New Year or my grandmother’s memorial day. I laid it inside my red velvet jewelry box, on the lower right drawer of my wooden computer desk. My computer was put in front of the window where I can enjoy doing homework with lot of sunlight, and having path of cool air. Sitting in the desk chair, I feel a little cold in the wintertime, but I have more fresh air in the summertime.

My bedroom was painted with turquoise, the symbol of friendship, youth, and tranquility. At the right corner of my bedroom, I placed all my souvenirs on my wall mounted desk. Actually, every single item I put on my bedroom seems incredibly significant to me. In the depths of my memory, I always remember the day I nearly lost it when I packed to move to the USA. I remember I put it in the center of my clothes to make sure it wouldn’t be broken. The day I arrived in Chicago where I first lived, I opened my suitcase then I realized that it was lost. I looked for it everywhere it could be placed but I didn’t still have it.

After that, I told my mother and she said she took it just in case of lost or broken. She put it in her purse with her but she forgot to tell me. I got angry with her but the truth is I was pretty happy taking it back. Another experience is when chain was broken. I was about to go to the temple, after dressed up; I didn’t forget to reach my favorite chain. Unfortunately, I broke the lock when I tried to wear it on , I felt so embarrass because I wondered whether or not it can be repair, due to the fact that jewelers often change the lock rather than repair, while I don’t want to change my original lock.

The day after, I went to the jeweler in Boston and asked if they can repair. But, the jeweler didn’t want to solder the lock because the labor would cost more than the lock change. Even though I had the better lock, I was down a little due to my fault. Afterward, I keep in mind always wear it gentle to avoid broken it once again. Today, whenever I wear or see my chain, all my memories about my grandparents return. The past is already gone but in my mind, childhood and the family atmosphere are something unforgettable and being in my mind all the time.

In addition, I learned a lot from my grandmother’s favorite saying, “Home is where you love, dream and nest”. That saying led me to a better way. It has been 6 years, and I think the luck of that chain has reflected on my every move in life. Memory is something very significant and for me, the little bag with my lucky chain and jade Buddha pendant helps me understand more about the meaning of life rather than all the items available in modern life. I hope the object that I’m talking about inspires anybody more or less in the belief that if you’ve ever believed in something, it will be coming true as you expected.