Today as I was driving around town, I glanced over at the things hanging from my rear-view mirror. Of course I always see them– they’ve been there for years– but normally I just look past them, paying them no mind.
But apparently today I was in a more reflective mood, because I saw each of them, one by one, and thought about them for a moment.
– A tassel from my high-school graduation (black and gold, with a golden “90”)… reminding me of the amazing friends I met in high school, and still hang out with today.
– A second tassel from college (also black and gold, with a golden “95”)… reminding me of the many people and experiences that, in many ways and over the course of five years, shaped my life.
– A little globe, taken from a seminar I attended in college… reminding me of the fragility of the earth, and also of relationships. The seminar featured a powerful speaker who told a group of ambitious, eager, not-too-mature college students how they could enrich their lives, deeper their relationships, and care for the earth and all that’s in it.
– A set of car keys… reminding me of a couple of dear friends who helped me to grow as a person.
– A string-and-bead gecko… reminding me of Kyra, who made it for me when she was very young. The string has stretched a bit over the years, and the beads aren’t quite as shiny and vibrant, but in a way that little gecko represents a daughter’s love.
– A tiny llama… reminding me of Alex, who picked it up when he was serving his mission in Peru because he thought I’d like it. Indeed I do. He’s always been a sharp, strong, steadfast young man, and even now as he navigates the tricky waters of college, I have no doubt he’ll go far in this world.
Some people might see all this stuff hanging from my mirror and wonder why I have such junk impeding my view. But these little reminders, infrequent though they may be, help me remember how lucky I am.