My grandma was not just my grandma. She was my best friend for as long as I can remember. She not only took care of me from ages three to ten, but she was my closest confidante and advisor. Before my grandma passed away she gave me her wedding ring and necklace. This was a very emotional moment in my life, as I knew that I was about to lose my best friend. The moment was also joyous, though, because my grandma wanted to pass along her past and her stories to me through her jewelry.
My grandma was born and raised in India and spent almost her entire life there, until my uncle applied to sponsor her in 1985 and brought her to the United States. According to stories from my uncles and my dad, my grandma didn’t bring anything with her besides a few bundles of clothes and the jewelry that she wore. She was alone in India and looked to her son in the United States for a life with her kids. The ring and necklace that she wore at all times were thus a constant reminder of the life she once had in India: a happy married life to my grandpa and joyous memories with her kids. Maybe the ring and necklace she wore was a beacon of hope of possibly returning to those joyful times once she was reunited with her son.

– Roby Daniel

Relationship:  Child of im/migrant Child of im/migrant