So, we are in the millionth day of 2020. It seems like a lifetime ago when my biggest problems revolved around work deadlines, social plans, and when the next @crimejunkie podcast would be released. Who would have thought that 2020 would bring about so much change?
While our world is shifting, I have hope for the future. So today, I am going to share something that I do not share with many people. It is old-fashioned and (kind of) materialistic, but it is also fun and light and makes me smile every time I think about it. I am going to share one of the ways my sister, Jacque, and I are preparing for the future--our hope chests.
Traditionally, a hope chest (also called a glory chest or dowry box) was a chest that an unmarried woman filled with items for her future home. These items were usually linens, table settings, or serving pieces. I am not a princess waiting in a tower to be whisked away to the castle. Maybe I will build my own palace! But to me, a hope chest is not about getting a ring by spring, it is about collecting items and memories to carry with me as I build my own life.
Don't believe me?
In December my mom, sister, and I went to one of our favorite stores on the planet,
@TheRoyalStandard, to do some serious after-Christmas sale shopping. Jacque was convinced that she was too cool for a hope chest, so she just decided to browse. Not me! I was ready to go with a large shopping bag in tow.
You do not understand--this sale is AMAZING. Try 75% off all Christmas items. I know!
So within about twenty minutes, my bag is full. I found these fab beaded napkin rings, fringed red cloth napkins, and embossed salad plates--the works. Jacque, noticing my treasure, stops dead in her tracks and says, "I need to get a bag" and bolts to begin hunting for her own loot.
My mom and I laughed so hard! We had the best day, and whenever I look at those silly beaded napkin rings, I am going to remember that day!
Even if it is an old-fashioned tradition, I still love my hope chest. It has my grandmother's china set, my mom's crystal rose bowl, and a few fun pieces that I have picked up over the years. I love the idea when I have my own house, I will have a few things to instantly make it feel like home.
I know my hope chest is small and insignificant when compared to the issues facing our world, but it makes me smile, and I hope it makes you smile, too.
Olivia Bergeron-Contributing Writer
Owner: Amigals.com