After opening all my gifts on my 16th birthday, I knew there was one very sentimental to me. My grandma Eleanor had gotten diamond earrings for her 16th birthday from her mother in Italy and wass now passing them down to me. All her life she wanted a daughter so she could spoil her but she ended up with two sons. Because of this, she passed down things to me with much value. This gift, however, has by far been my favorite. These earrings have been with Eleanor and her mom Catherine through memorable times. Catherine had saved up and eventually got them for herself when she turned 18. She wore them constantly almost never taking them off. When my grandma received them for her 16th birthday, Catherine told her how much she had valued them and the milestones she had had with them. The paramount ones that stuck out to Eleanor included her getting married, moving to America from Italy and having children. Not having a lot of money, the upscale of these earrings were huge. When Catherine gave them to my grandma she was honored. Eleanor claimed she only wore them for special occasions, but when she passed them down to me, she told me I had to follow the tradition. For now, I’ve been wearing them everyday but I know when the time comes I’ll eventually want to pass them down to my future daughter.  

– Tara M.

Relationship:  Great-grandchild of im/migrant or more Great-grandchild of im/migrant or more