A straightforward family custom has far greater significance than any of them could have ever imagined as Jade and her family get together to commemorate their father’s tenth anniversary of passing away.
My family is very typical, if you may say so. My dad was a librarian, and my mother is an almost-retired English teacher. We grew up reading novels over the dinner table, of course.
I was raised by two brothers and currently live as an adult with my spouse, Ethan, and our two girls. Ethan is a builder and I am a nurse, so that’s pretty ordinary, right?
My dad and I used to have a weekend ritual when we were kids.
He would say, “Come on, Jade,” while holding a box of beads. “This is our moment!”
And we’d gather together at the coffee table to create bracelets. The beads weren’t very cute and were either plastic or glass, depending on what Dad bought, so I always felt it was a weird little custom.
It was just not my dad’s love language, thus he never expressed his love for us. Rather, he preferred to spend time with us and give us books that he knew we would enjoy.
Even though I’m thirty-six years old today, I can’t help but look back to when I was twelve and liked creating those odd bracelets. Now that my father has died of multiple sclerosis, I give it more thought.
It was my dad’s tenth death anniversary recently, and Mom wanted to invite all of us to a family meal.
Mom responded, “I just need to have you all over for the day, Jade.” “It’s challenging, but having the grandchildren here will make me happy.”
I was unable to dispute that.
That day, my brothers and their families as well as I all went to Mom’s house for a backyard cookout.
A BBQ, as it was Dad’s preferred Sunday pastime, as he enjoyed using his tongs to stand at the grill.
My mom was getting the happiness she desired from the kids as they ran around, jumped in and out of the pool, and ate popsicles.
The conversation eventually shifted to my dad’s memories.
My elder brother, Travis, continued by describing how our father had taught him how to ride a bike.
Travis chuckled, “He always let go too soon, which is how I ended up with those scrapes on my knees and arms.” “But look, I figured it out!”
The middle child, Adam, talked about how his father used to counsel him on relationships.
“Oh my god,” he laughed. Though it was always so corny, the advise was excellent! It worked even though I didn’t think it would.
It was eventually my chance to contribute. Even while I enjoyed spending time with my relatives and listening to their stories about my father, my heart feel pain from his loss.
“Making the bracelets is definitely my favorite part,” I remarked. “I loved the dad jokes the most!”
“What prevented the sapphire from attending school? It was too busy being the diamond, which I really liked. I chuckled. What did the jade say to the diamond in the other instance? “I’m green with jealousy!”
In contrast, my mother went pale while my brothers laughed through their drinks.
“Those bracelets, where are they?” With a whisper, Mom enquired.
Confused, I answered, “I’m not sure.” “I believe in the Halloween costumes in the basement.”
She excused herself to make a phone call without saying anything else.
“We must locate those bracelets immediately.”
I went to the basement with my mother, even though it made no sense. After going through a few boxes, we eventually discovered an old, dusty bag behind an old couch.
I said, “I think this is it.”
Ten bracelets with different stone patterns were contained within. I could recall every single one of them, but not the large gemstone that was nestled in the center of the sticky plastic beads.
It appeared to be extremely different.
Mom asked me to take her to a jeweler the following day. All the big stones from the bracelets were in a small jewelry box she had.
The jeweler declared, “These are worth thousands of dollars.” “From where did you obtain them?”
As it happens, my amazing father who is a librarian had bequeathed us a little wealth in the shape of bracelets with stones concealed within.
After making some tea when we arrived at Mom’s house, she started telling me the truth.
“We were discussing Dad and the bracelets yesterday when I thought back to a conversation I had with your grandmother. She asked me if I had handed the ‘precious stones’ to you and your brothers. I didn’t know what she was discussing. But it all made sense when you were discussing those dad jokes.
My father discovered them in his early twenties while participating in an archeological dig as a requirement for a course he had enrolled in, Grandma informed Mom.
Mom explained, “The course stipulated that anything found should be taken.” “So your father used them as this family’s safety net.”
This revelation altered not only our financial circumstances but also our perception of Dad. We invested in our futures and paid off debts. To assist families who were struggling to rebuild their lives after losing a loved one, Mom wrote a proposal for a charity.
My mother demanded that my brothers and I each take a jewel.
“Hold it, transform it into something.” Utilize it to honor your father,” she remarked.
I mounted my stone on a ring I wear every day. Especially as the sunshine glinted off the diamond, I wanted my father to be right there beside me.
I now realize that my father infused something I took for granted—making bracelets—with his love and care during those fleeting moments. My father was a straightforward man who devoted his life to imparting his vast knowledge and who loved reading. He was just a man who wanted to keep his family safe, though, above and above all of that.
Family customs hold great significance, and I’m actively searching for unique activities to engage in with my girls.
Are there any customs in your family?
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