Diamonds Are Forever Unless You Hock Them!!!

I chose the word "glass" for my word of the year. I read on someone's blog to choose a word for the year--sorry, I forgot whose. I thought about what word I would choose.

Two days later, I was outside trying to crack up some ice on the driveway when I thought about how ice is like glass. "Glass" is the word! I liked it! I started coming up with a list of words/ phrases that referred to glass such as ice, cut glass, through the looking glass, glass houses, still water, diamonds, glass frame, wine glass, glass slipper, looking through a glass darkly, etc. My writing group, the BON(S), added to my list, too.

Only one word/phrase has invited me to dance so far--diamond. It actually stirs a memory I have of one of my mothers. One of my mothers?? I've always said I had 3 moms--my birth mom, Lillian, and my two aunties, Mary and Helen. Maybe this is why I love the name Mary Helen!!! They all took care of me and influenced me some how at different times of my life.

Auntie Mary was the gem of all gems in my life--kind, caring, steadfast, patient, down-to-earth, and a God-loving human being. She always told the truth and understood life for what it was--a constant challenge to one's being.

My Auntie Mary and I always sat at her kitchen table and talked about whatever. I don't remember why the subject of diamonds came up that day, but I remember her saying, "If someone ever asks you if you want a diamond, say, 'Yes' because you can always hock it!" She had a quiet sense of humor, also. It was an odd comment, but as a child, I did not ask questions usually, because in my family, asking questions was not the thing to do. Later, I could guess why my aunt would say something like that.

My husband, always being the very practicial person he was and is, asked me to marry him and then said, "Do you want a diamond?" I was and am a pretty practical person, too, and was just in my first year of teaching after college. I knew neither of us had any money to spare at the time, but I remembered what my aunt had said, "Say, 'Yes' to the diamond!" I didn't know if I would ever have to hock it, and I said, "Yes" to the diamond! I respected and took to heart all the things my aunt said and did.

Forty years later, I've never had to hock it--thank goodness, and my aunt would be proud!!!

My husband and I still love each other, and I loved my Auntie Mary!!!! Funny what words can do for you and to you!