Most families have some sort of mementos that are passed down from generation to generation. Since my Dad’s side of the family is Catholic rosaries are an important part of our family’s legacy. When my grandmother died a family member gave me one of her old rosaries. The metal chain was tarnished and the beads were worn, but I appreciated it more than any new rosary.
Old rosaries are such special gifts because they symbolize the hopes, dreams and prayers of someone close to you. Each time I hold my grandmother’s rosary I imagine all the times her fingers grasped the beads, and I think about how she truly believed that each Hail Mary she said would better her life or the lives of others in some way. My Dad also has a rosary that I will someday receive. It was issued to him when he served in Vietnam and it’s made from simple green hemp rope. Despite its simplicity, it will be more important to me than any of my other jewelry.
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