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The Anecdotes Observations from events by Ingrid Webster
Over the years I have attended many special events, shows and festivals to display the Neverending Necklace and let people choose beads for dedications. Each and every single bead that was added to the necklace is very special to me, as it has its own meaning to those who dedicated it. When digging around in the bead bins in search for their beads, sometimes people can get overcome with sadness for a recently deceased loved one. Often they will share memories about that person and the wonderful relationship they had, and I feel privileged to be entrusted with such sincere emotions. Not always do I find the right words of comfort on the spur of the moment, but I promise that these beads and their stories are in good hands and always thought of in a loving way. The blurbs below do not include these very private moments of grief, but rather those who may inspire or amuse. To respect people's privacy you won't find links to the beads in these anecdotes. If you would like to share your own story about your dedicated beads, you may submit it here >>
The Down The Street Bead Show, Palm Beach Gardens, FL: A young couple and their daughter were visiting the booth, and the parents were very supportive in having their little girl dedicate beads. She searched the bins carefully for the right ones and came up with an entire hand full of beads she wanted to dedicate. When I asked her who she would like to dedicate her beads to, the parents looked at each other and their young daughter with loving expectation. The little girl thought for a while. And she thought very long and really hard as she had this important decision to make. After some time had passed, her father prompted her: "Well, who do you love the most that you would like to dedicate the beads to?" Then, in her own cheerful innocence, she uttered two words: "My cat."
Jupiter Lanes, Jupiter, FL: After explaining the dedication process to a visiting couple, the lady thought for about five seconds and then spontaneously had me cut off her bracelet to use its beads for her dedications to her grandkids. She proceeded to tell me about the kids who live in China, and her bracelet was made from beads with a Chinese theme. She wanted to make a meaningful connection, so a part of her own jewelry would become her grandchildren's place on the Neverending Necklace.
Pineapple Grove Bed Race, Delray Beach, FL: A mother and her pre-school aged daughter were stopping by the Love & Peace Project booth. The mother donated a dollar for charity so her girl could add a bead to the necklace. She bent down to her daughter and said: "now go ahead and choose any bead you like". After sorting through the bins and looking at all the different beads, the little girl picks a red airplane. Beamingly, she was about to hand her precious find over to be added, when her mother said: "oh no, you can't have an airplane - that's for boys..." Needless to say, my heart sank and I just only could watch in silence as the girl reluctantly made a new choice to find her mother's approval. By now, you probably already figured out the moral of this story for yourself, so to add anything else would be superfluous.
One Stop Holiday Shop, West Palm Beach, FL: One of the first memories of people dedicating beads is that of a little girl of about eight years of age. The adult accompanying her let her choose one bead and dedicate it to someone special. Not hesitating for one moment, the girl said in a very determined voice: "I'd like to dedicate the bead to my teacher. She is so nice." A very special moment of recognition indeed. Teachers do have a lasting impact on our lives in so many ways, and I will never forget the love that this girl had for her teacher.
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