As a little girl, I would dress up in a strand of my mother’s pearls. Some of my favorite pictures of my mom show that necklace gracefully draped around her neck. I love the pearls simplicity and luminescence against her skin.

I received my first real strand of pearls from my husband, shortly after we were married. I adored them and wore them often, but mostly when I was getting dressed up. There were numerous events and occasions where that pearl necklace was the perfect accessory.

As my career began to progress, I found myself in a very unconventional workplace…especially for a woman. My new office was now the cramped cockpit of a single-engine Cessna 172 airplane or Bell Jet Ranger helicopter. I spent eight hours a day, sometimes more, as a broadcast airborne reporter for KFWB, an all news radio station in Los Angeles, covering the highways and byways over Southern California. We flew above many breaking news stories: the Los Angeles Riots in ’92, the Northridge Earthquake in ’94, numerous wildfires and dramatic high speed police chases. But most memorable of all, the infamous white Ford Bronco carrying OJ Simpson back to his Brentwood home in 1994 after a week of unimaginable events.

It was certainly an exciting profession, but there was absolutely no reason to dress up. Wardrobe requirements were all about ease and comfort…sweats, jeans, slouchy sweaters and t-shirts. Just my pilot and myself, side by side in our cramped “office” chasing down stories. Where in the world did a strand of pearls fit in this environment?

While it was thrilling to wake up each morning and wonder what kind of adventure the day would bring, there were also days in which I felt isolated and all-consumed by work. I was missing time with my husband and family. I also remember wanting to ditch my utilitarian wardrobe in favor of something fun and fashionable!

Twice a month I would attend in-office meetings. Those were the opportunities to dress in real clothes! I would drive up to Los Angeles in between my shifts. One morning, realizing that there would not be enough time to change before my meeting, I chose fashion over functionality, and wore a new dress and my strand of pearls up in the plane. Throughout the day, while working, I would catch myself running my fingers across those pearls. It was oddly comforting. I was mindful of the ones I loved most and somehow they didn’t feel so far away.

When I got home that night and was taking the necklace off, I wondered why I didn’t wear it more. Clearly, it brought about a sense of well-being and it certainly elevated my look. Would the fashionistas deem me a misfit for daring to break pearl protocols? It was a risk I was willing to take. From that day on, it was an important part of what I carried with me each day. Whether donned in comfy jeans and an oversized sweater or paired with sweats and t-shirts, it never felt wrong or out of place.

I was recently cleaning out a cabinet and came across some old family photos. I picked up a picture of my husband and me with our newborn twins, the day we finally got to bring them home from the hospital. As I focused in, there was the strand of pearls again, with me on this very special occasion.

When I look at that old strand of pearls now, I see it like a cherished heirloom. It holds the stories of my most important life experiences and celebrations. It was my connection to home when work made me feel so far away, and today, this many years later, it reminds me of a gallant young woman about to embark on an incredible and adventurous career.

At Givesse, we celebrate the stories we live to tell.

Wrap your own stories into a Givesse strand of pearls. Wear it often. Love it forever.