A Gentle Reminder

My story isn't particularly moving or especially touching. I bought my key at the beginning of the year with the word 'breathe' on it. At the time I was going through a stressful time. I had just finished my last semester of college, I was unsure of how stable my job was going to be and I had just applied for a masters program which would have allowed me to keep my job had it fallen through but was yet to be accepted. I was stressed out, extremely negative, and was just having a really difficult time coping. I began to experience intense stomach pains and severe headaches more frequently than I had ever before. I knew I needed something to help calm me down and give me peace of mind. My giving key did just that! When I was stressed, I would reach for the key and run my fingers over the engraving and it was as though my problems melted away. It became a nervous tick almost, to just reach for my necklace. I definitely never thought I would be able to part with it, but knew it was an important step in my coping process and the whole point of what the giving key is about.

Fast forward to May, my little cousin was graduating from High School. She is an only child and the apple of her parents eye, so when she decided to move away for college I knew my giving key was about to find a new home. College is such a stressful time, and with her moving to a new state, a new town, and a new environment with no familiarity at all, I knew she was going to experience moments where she was overwhelmed and might find it difficult to press on. So as her graduation gift, I presented the key, explained my story to her, and told her the strength it gave me in hopes it would do the same for her.

I don't know if it will mean as much to her as it did to me, and I don't know if she'll ever tell me whether it did or not. But I know for me that key provided so much strength and provided me with a gentle reminder that I just needed to slow down, take a deep breathe, and relax. That is a lesson that is not always easy to learn but is much needed for a more positive and happy life.