Jewels like tattoos

TO BE BOLD AND LIVE BOLD
On my left ring finger is a miniature Egyptian sarcophagus in obsidian and silver. In it, a carefully concealed ruby-eyed mummy rests as if it were but a small piece of candy. As charming as it is, I know it’s the promise of the afterlife that sits on my left hand; the hand closest to my heart; the same hand that traditionally receives benediction and blessings from the pope. But to me, this ring is my reminder that you only live once. Be bold (even in small ways).

TO FIND ADVENTURE NEAR AND FAR, BUT ALWAYS KNOWING HOW TO FIND HOME
Around my wrist are four gold bangles. Each perfect circle holds one of the four star constellations used by our Hawaiian navigators as they cross from Hawai’i to Tahiti, and back: he ka (the bailer), he iwi (the bones), he makau (the fishhook) and he lupe (the kite). The constellations are delicately etched around the tiny edges, mimicking the way a master navigator would carve these details into his memory. Each bracelet chimes against the other when I walk, like the sound of the ocean lapping up against the canoe to guide me home.

TO HAVE FAITH TO STRENGHTEN YOUR HEART
I adorn my neck with a thin 26”-gold chain lariat being held by the weight of a small locket. Inside the locket is a photo of my son. The locket slips through the other end of the chain through a gold bow (a rainbow or archer’s bow) symbolizing God’s covenant and His love. My love for my child is the lei around my neck. It has become my talisman I wear day and night, grounding me through storms and rising dark waters. The very design of a lariat symbolizes that through His strength, anything is possible (Philippians 4:13).

Art lives in the confluence of beauty and symbols that surround us every day, we almost think them commonplace. It’s only when we look deeper to see their hidden meaning and connection to us, do they become jewels.