REACHING THE LIMIT It was Chol Hamoed Pesach our first as a married couple. I was the only daughter-in-law and was feeling a little lost. Especially since my husband was learning a long first seder. I’m all for his learning and everything. But Chol Hamoed? During shanah rishonah? The first Pesach at the in-laws’? My idealism has its limits apparently

Y ou like this necklace? Thanks. I got it from my husband the first Pesach we were married. Long story.

I don’t have much jewelry which is fine because I hardly ever wear jewelry. I must have some undiagnosed sensory issue that makes wearing jewelry a nuisance for me. Other things are a nuisance as well such as wearing shoes. But in second grade when my teacher picked up my shoes from under my desk in the middle of class and I had to ask for them back before going out to recess I learned that wearing shoes is nonnegotiable.

Some people should not wear jewelry ever. Namely people who cannot leave it alone. When I got engaged I wore my kallah bracelet to the school I taught in every day. I needed to prove to myself that my chassan was real and not part of an elaborate daydream. But on day three I was playing with my bracelet and swinging it around while teaching Chumash — until it went sailing across the classroom. The kids had a field day jumping out of their seats and running to look for it behind the bookcase and I learned my lesson: Jewelry is not for me.

Yet even if you don’t wear jewelry nothing quite beats the excitement of receiving a black velvet box and knowing a piece of jewelry nestles inside.

When we were engaged I received the aforementioned bracelet as well as a ring and a pearl necklace. But being standard virtually required fare en route to the chuppah they lacked the personal touch that makes jewelry special.

Months after our wedding when my birthday rolled around my husband gave me a gold and diamond pendant. Ah now this meant something. I was thrilled with the sparkling piece and decided to incorporate it into my pearl necklace.

I sent it into the jeweler who promised it would be ready at the end of the week. When he didn’t call that week or the next I finally lifted the phone and called him. Sheepishness oozed down the phone line. It seems that the pendant was not real gold and when they tried to reshape the clasp it had been destroyed by the heat. Well. No wonder they didn’t call me. They were probably afraid of my reaction (either to him or maybe to my husband). But I didn’t care much. I was so happy to be married that a ruined pendant didn’t do much to dampen my spirits.

But it dampened my husband’s spirits all right. He tried to make up for that pendant a few weeks later. But that present got botched up too and was compensated for with chocolates and ice cream (much more up my alley).

Still he hadn’t quite given up… (Excerpted from Family First Issue 536)