Losing my prized possessions in Mexico…

Enjoy an excerpt from a few months ago:

As I write this blog post I’m flying to Mexico City from Puerto Vallarta. What an expedition and journey this month and a half in Mexico are turning out to be.

Let me backtrack a little. How did I get to Mexico?

I started working remotely from San Diego. I flew to San Diego, CA on 6/16 and stayed with my friend Jade until 6/19. On my first leg of the trip, I had a mishap…I lost my entire jewelry bag that contained memories from my trips to Egypt, Costa Rica, Zion, Panama, Santa Barbara, and many more beautiful destinations. I was quite devastated. Bewildered and astonished at the fact that I had lost it all…

After hours of remorse, and many tears I remembered these items are just possessions, things really. Nothing and no one can take away my memories of them and the experiences I had in these incredible places.

I remembered that while these items hold sentimental value to me and likely cannot be replaced, they will always have a place in my heart. A fond memory of who I’ve met and where I’ve been.

I found it comforting that now I have the space and time to acquire new possessions and memories here in Mexico. I have the opportunity to make connections with those I purchase jewelry from.

It may sound silly, but each piece in my jewelry collection enlists a certain emotion in me. A memory of the sea, the sound of a turtle swimming to the surface for a breath of air, the ripples of the sand dunes in the Egyptian desert, or the ferocity of a tropical rainforest ready to unleash havoc at any moment in time.

I see it all through my jewlery. The memories and feelings the artists referenced in their creation process and my own anecdotal memories from my travels. I see them as a lens into my past and the past of the community that welcomed me.

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I typically am not looking for them, they find me. The pieces speak to me, and when I make a connection with the piece and the creator, I add them to my memoir. My collection of pieces represents who I am, who I’ve met, the joy and sorrow I’ve felt in my life, and who I hope to be.

I only have a few jewelry pieces, and I want to make sure each one holds value but also remind myself I am still me without them. With or without jewelry from around the world I will always be Shereen. Colorful, fruitful, and optimistic. Eager to embrace new cultures and communities. Open to new experiences. Willing to be uncomfortable.

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While jewelry is a form of expression, I cannot let it speak for me. I must be myself all on my own.

Able to voice where I’ve been, what I’ve overcome, and who I aspire to be from my demeanor.

Simply as I am stripped down to my core, my being and sense of self shine through.

While I have purchased a necklace and earrings since being in Mexico, I’m not attached to them, and I know myself without them.

This is a great lesson I will be taking away from Sayulita; I am Shereen, simply her, without any additives, sweeteners, or polishes. As long as I know who she is and who she hopes to be – I will be whole.