Hemp Bracelet

I have been wearing this bracelet since January 13, 2008. It was originally a gift from someone who, at the time, was a good friend. While I did not really appreciate it when I first received it, at least not beyond the merit of a gift from this person I cared about. I would never have anticipated the worth it has to me now.

Why, one may ask, does this probably no more than five dollar piece of woven hemp have such value, especially when you are no long friends with the person who gave it? To tell the truth, I do not rightly know why it means so much to me.

At the time it was given, and for a good while thereafter, I really cared for the person who gave it to me. The affection I bestowed upon her was, for at least a while, one of the first times I was genuinely and unselfishly affectionate toward someone. But the significance of this bracelet goes beyond just how much I cared for her.

You see, after a while, my genuine, unselfish affection became not so genuine and selfless. It is amazing how a simple holding of hands or snuggle session can radically alter the dynamics of a relationship. At this point in our not so happy tale is where I am quite ashamed of the way I acted toward this once good friend of mine.

We had a 'falling out' of sorts, and went from talking nearly every day on the phone, writing letters nearly every week, poking each other on Facebook at nearly every opportunity, to a complete lack of interaction. Absolute silence between us. Again, my blame in this matter would be difficult to overstate.

The proverbial nail in the coffin occurred when an action of mine that will go unmentioned here had the understandable affect of deeply hurting this young woman for whom I cared so much at one time.

Approximately a month and a half later, I was very frustrated with the silence between us. I was downright pissed about it. It was about this point that I was perusing through the letters and gifts I had received from her, when I came upon this bracelet. I wore it once or twice, almost in spite, to show that my attitude was the better of the two.

I wore it for a week or so, nonchalantly. Then, on January 13th, while in the shower, where I used to do a lot of my thinking, it struck me that God called me to love everyone, regardless of their actions toward me. I realized that not only had I failed to really love her in the month leading up to our falling out, but I had also ceased to love her since then.

It was at that point that I put on the bracelet, with the intent to not take it off, as a remind that I am called to love everyone, in spite of their hate, failings, annoyingness, personality flaws, bad jokes, stupid opinions and even unresponsiveness to me.

I wear it all the time, in the shower, in the rain, to church, to class, playing sports, whatever I am doing. It has not left my body since January 13th, 2008. While it does not always serve its purpose of reminding me to love others at all times, and sometimes it does, I just don't, I will continue to wear it with the hope that there is hope for a person like me to learn to love.

That is why I wear my hemp bracelet all the time.