DUM SPIRO SPERO
Our family motto, as I breathe, I hope, shaped us. A reminder, a prayer, a connection to those who came before. It was my first tattoo at 18, etched into my skin as a promise.
My brother Mac was incredibly proud to be the first to commission a piece of jewelry from me. He asked for a simple band engraved with our motto, and he never took it off. August 29th, marked one year since his ring returned to me after he ended his life. It has become a tangible tether I cherish beyond words.
As I breathe, I hope continues to take on new meaning. The irony and unfathomable grief can’t be ignored, yet I still believe our motto stands. I’ve learned the hard way, many times over, that - like breath- hope is not guaranteed. It must be chosen, again and again. Some days feel like a fight, but in that fight, joy can still be found.
Although this charm will one day be lost to time, I hold hope knowing its meaning will live on far beyond us. This is why I make jewelry, to create pieces that carry memory, meaning, and connection far beyond ourselves. Jewelry, for me, is a reliquary: something you can touch when words aren’t enough. If grief is love’s souvenir each piece I make is a monument.
I still can’t believe I live in a world without Mac in it, but I have hope that he is reunited with our mom and the loves of his life Ja’naya and Angel.
Today marks the final day of National Suicide Awareness Month, but this offering will remain ongoing. Should you feel connected, I am offering this charm in sterling silver for $80, with all profits donated to
@afspnational in Mac’s memory and in support of all who carry the weight of such loss.
