Monday, June 27, 2011

Sentimental Luck


Ah, the power an object can possess.

Something you can hold in your hand.
Something that affects your imaginings and your sentimentalities.
Something that makes you happy just knowing it’s there.

I have many such objects. One of my favorites is a pocket watch my Mom and Dad gave me for my birthday last year. They gathered many small gifts inspired by the book I wrote and gave them to me as heart-felt tokens of the story I had told.

My book takes place in 1965 and 1906, and this nostalgic pocket watch personifies the flavor of my tale.



Ever since I received it, this timepiece has been my lucky writing watch. I take it with me to writer’s conferences, critique meetings, chapter meetings, and to write my book down by the pond. Whenever I go anywhere writing related, I take it with me—because it was given to me in honor of a book I wrote, by kind parents who wanted me to feel loved and capable.

It’s not just a thing. It’s a tangible reminder of something. Something vital and cherished. A token of my parent’s faith in me and my faith in myself.

Do you have something you carry with you for luck? When you write, draw, paint, face a hard task? Something that is silly, quirky, sentimental?

If you don’t already, find some small object you already own, something with some sort of meaning behind it, and make it a token for whatever you like. It’ll be fun, add a new dimension to life. Try it!



10 comments:

Chantele Sedgwick said...

You are so cute. I wish I had something cool to carry around, but alas I just have my purse. And my baby. I guess I could count her, since I carry her around EVERYWHERE! ;)

Katie Dodge said...

Ooohh, I love your pocket watch! How sweet of your parents. Now I'm wondering why every time we're together and we say, "What time is it?" you don't whip out your cool watch! I'll be testing you next time we're together...

MTeacress said...

No, I don't have any good luck pieces. I do have a few favorite items that might be in the same catagory as your nifty watch.

Have a great week. :)

Michelle L. Brown said...

What a lovely watch and what lovely parents! My parents are the same way, from the time I was little and they first read to me until now, when they nearly burst wanting to tell an entire doctor's office that the story in the Highlights is their daughter's. They help finance trips to conferences and ask me all about my publishing progress, even though most of it's Greek to them. I hope I encourage my kids with that level of enthusiasm, don't you?

I have a special pen my mom gave me. I'm fairly addicted to pens. :)

Danica said...

I love that watch! I've always loved stuff like that, that feels like it could be the key to some incredible adventure just waiting to happen. That's one of the reasons why I love my antique locket you gave me, it feels magical, it's my good luck charm. But when I draw there's nothing like using my favorite pencil, I almost always have it with me.

Jane Isfeld Still said...

LOVE THE WATCH!! OK I was reading your profile and we have SO much in common. I am a roaring twenty's kind of gal too. I also love the late 1800's and the zany music that makes my leart sing and my feet dance. It's my favorite stuff to choreograph.

Brenda Sills said...

You guys are so awesome for leaving me comments! Thanks!

CHANTELE - Ha, ha! Your baby is what you carry around! That's great! Love it!

KATIE - You're testing me? You're on, girl. I dare you, I double dare you - next time we meet zing me the test question and I'll be ready. And yeah, my parents are way sweet - I love 'em like crazy!

MICHELLE TEACRESS - Hey, fave items are ideal good luck charms. Knight one of 'em as your charm, take it with you wherever you want to be extra charming, and you'll be amazed at how on-top-of-the-world you feel! And thanks for the great week wish - you have one too!

MICHELLE BROWN - You're parents sound SO like my parents. We're SO lucky aren't we?! And yes, I always hope with all my heart that I'm as encouraging to my kids as they are to me.
OOOH! A special pen from your Mom! How Fantastic! I LOOOOVE pens too!

DANICA - What an insanely cool thought - that something like my watch feels like the key to some incredible adventure! Whoo! Makes me feel all giddy and adventurish at the thought of it! I'm so happy you love your locket - and I LOVE that it feels magical to you! I feel the same way about things - I have NO doubt they truly have magic in them.
Aah, your fav pencil - I LOVE that you're always drawing wherever you are! It's so awesome!

JANE - Thanks for loving my watch! I feel so happy now! Hey, that's awesome that we have such a great love of such great music in common - I feel so honored to have so much in common with such a fantastic person as you!

Jane Isfeld Still said...

You are very cute :)

Brenda Sills said...

JANE - Ah, how sweet! Beaucoup thanks to you!

Unknown said...

I have a token for difficult or new tasks and very special moments. I took it with me for my final exam at school, I had it with me on my first day at work and I take it as a good-luck charm whenever I travel somewhere ... it's a blue ring, which was a gift from my father when I was a teenager.
I'm not sure of what it is made, but I believe it's some kind of blue-shimmering shell. I remember that I wanted it quite a lot back then, but just because I was a bit spoiled and simply wanted "something". I didn't really pay much attention to it until I was 17, which was when my father died. Ever since then this token has been representing his presence to me and I feel safer and stronge when I'm wearing it.
There had been times when I believed I lost it, which were terrible, but so far I always recovered it. A while ago I had to repair it, because it threatened to break since I used to strain my knuckle against it when I was bored or unsure.
This token has been with me for over 15 years, and I don't intend to let go of it any time soon.