silver and gold

Today, March 20th, is the vernal a.k.a. spring equinox here in Austin, TX. It looks like it, too, all breezy and sun-filled.

Twenty-five years ago today, maybe about lunchtime but I don’t remember, I got a gold charm—twinned hearts—on a fine gold chain. I put it on immediately,

and have worn it ever since. Much like I wear my wedding ring, which I got later that same day.

 

Since I can remember, so maybe since I was six or seven, I’ve enjoyed the superstition about necklace clasps. Do you know it? When the clasp of the necklace you’re wearing works its way around to the front—which it will—you grasp it firmly, balancing the chain in your other hand for traction. You close your eyes, and you make a wish as you fluidly pull the clasp around to the back of your neck. The move is supposed to be fluid in order for the wish to come true.

I’ve had a lot of practice at this. Necklaces I enjoy wearing, unlike bracelets, and I remember wearing them from elementary school onward. So I’ve made thousands, hundreds of thousands, millions? of wishes across the 45-some years.

From March 21, 1993 onward, though, I’ve made only one wish.

May M and I have a long and happy marriage.

Nearly every day. In too many circumstances to keep track of. So repetitively that I soon figured out that wishes are really prayers, some more self-serving than others, but requests whispered into the world regardless.

It’s odd to realize that my prayer is now flowering—twenty-five starts to count as “long.” And truly, this expanse of time has been happy… in each of the many colors and shapes that happy can take.

It’s odder still to realize that this is a tipping point in the history of me. It just so happens that, from now forward, the bulk of my life will have been (will be) with My Sweetie. I married him four and a half months before I turned 25, you see. 25 + 25… he’s now my life partner in a way I hadn’t stopped to consider.

In 25 more years, he will be 90, and I 75… إن شاء الل (insha’Allah)/good Lord willing and the creek don’t rise.

But it’s already golden now.

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