I was clearing out my cupboard today. I found my box of bead strings. It is a rectangular box made of plastic, the translucent kind. The deceiving kind, that looks perfect from the outside but on the inside, is a whole different story. So this box too, looked fine from the outside. But inside it, my bead strings were all knotted up, intertwined and jumbled.
This box was labelled "earrings". Ha. It reminded my of that song "Shimmer" - by Fuel .
"And all that she intends
And all she keeps inside, isn't on the label "
I've had them all my life. I know each bead of each string very well. There are some from the hippies near beaches and temples, some that are gifts from friends and a few that I strung myself.
There are red shiny ones - too 'bling' for everyday life, but can liven up a grey outfit on any given day. This one is actually a Christmas tree tinsel,but it serves the purpose pretty well
There is a string made of sea shells - very pretty on the outside, but equally empty and hollow on the inside.
The big black ones that look perfect and shiny from afar, but if you go closer you notice the scratches and blemishes.
The one with the big purple 'heart' shaped beads - that I've never worn, but keep because they are so lovely..
There are tiny delicate ones , funky - chunky ones beads in every possible color you can think of. Beads made of plastic,metal,clay and glass.
Each one different from the other and yet serving the same purpose.
As I try to untangle them, they get more intertwined. I am afraid to tug too hard , for I know that they'll break. I know , for I have a few loose beads in the box too - few for every string that broke. I keep them because I can't let them go. I hold on to them and the memories they hold within. Just maybe I'll find the right string someday and other beads, and string them back together. Maybe I will.
I could find a better way of keeping them. Maybe I could separate them and but them into smaller boxes. Or find a nail and hand them by it.Maybe I could.
As I buy new ones, I just them add them to the box. They are treated no differently than the others. But lately, my box has been filling up. I don't have space left for new strings anymore - it is getting too cluttered in there. Maybe I should throw some of the old ones away to make space for the new. Or maybe I should just find a bigger box. Maybe I should.
As the untangling process gets too tiresome, I get fed up. I put them all back into the box. They may not be untangled and separated. But at least they are all in there, all in one place. All mine. My bead strings - that I wear very close to my heart.
