Piece by Piece, Charm by Charm
One of my most prized possessions is the charm necklace I built this summer. My roommate and I spent our last Friday in New York at Brooklyn Charm building pieces as our goodbye to each other and our summer.
The necklace in question, as it was being built.
While this necklace was built with aesthetic purposes in mind, each charm has meaning to me, making it that much more special when someone goes out of their way to compliment it.
Allow me to explain why I picked the charms I did, piece by piece.
North Carolina
It felt fitting to start with my college-turned-hometown state. North Carolina became a permanent part of me in April of 2021 when I officially committed to my dream school, UNC-Chapel Hill. Chapel Hill is a huge piece of me as I’ve spent the majority of my last four years here. It was in this state that I was introduced to some of the best people in my life.
I will admit that I was initially hesitant for my family to follow me to North Carolina after spending my whole life planning to pursue the ultimate independent journey of going to college out of state. Moving to Wilmington, NC after my freshman year at UNC was a frightening thing to stomach at first. Leaving your hometown while having limited opportunities to meet people in your new one is a lot. But, I’ve learned to love having my family only two and a half hours away from me in their pretty beach town, which always makes for a lovely visit.
A functioning compass
I was initially drawn to the piece because of its functionality. If I’m ever lost in the woods with nothing but my necklace, I’m set! I love to travel and my necklace reflects that passion. I included the compass to remind me of the quote, “Not all who wander are lost.”
To me, a compass is a grounding object. It reminds you that no matter where you are, there is a way home. So, this piece serves as a reminder not only of my desire to see the world but also that no matter where I am, home is never too far out of reach.
A blue star
Sometimes you just need a pop of color. The blue in the center of this star spoke to me. Not everything needs extensive meaning, you know?
But, if you use your imagination and pretend the gold is silver, this charm looks similar to the Dallas Cowboys logo that I’ve spent my entire life cheering for (albeit with frequent disappointment). The Cowboys are a part of me, as is my desire for pops of color in my life.
A postcard
The store employees told us when we built our necklaces that the heaviest charm had to go in the middle. As I mentioned before, I am absolutely obsessed with traveling. It is one of my biggest goals in life to see all 50 states and six continents (sorry, Antarctica). When I came across this charm, I knew it would be the crown jewel of my necklace.
One crucial aspect of traveling and moving I’ve found is you must always stay connected to those you love. If you zoom in on the postcard charm, you can see the etched words, “I love you.”
Not only does this message serve as an act of self-love when I wear it proudly on my chest, but it acts as a reminder that no matter where I go, home is where the heart is.
The ace of hearts
Like I said before, sometimes you just need a pop of color. This piece also fits into my overall theme of hearts and love throughout the necklace. I have no further reasoning for this one.
I❤️NY
I mean, I do love it! I would be remiss to build a whole necklace meant to help me remember my summer in the city and not include an ode to that very city. It doesn’t hurt that my PR heart loves how iconic the branding for I❤️NY truly is.
Maryland
As fitting as it was to begin this necklace with my new home state, it felt just as right that it ended with the state that started my story and holds all of my memories up to the age of 18.
No matter how long I live in North Carolina, or wherever my future home is, I will always be a Maryland girl at heart.
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All of these pieces come together to highlight different parts of who I am and what I love. Of course, no one piece of jewelry could fully encapsulate the depth of a human being. But, it makes me happy, and sometimes that’s all that counts.
You heard it here first,
Kylie
