Memories of A Watch
I have always had a hard time finding a watch that either will fit my arm or that I won’t react to the band when the hot summer months come around. You see, I was born with something wrong with my left arm. It is called Madelung’s Deformity. It makes the bones in my left wrist stick out, and it actually caused my left arm to be 3-4 inches shorter than my right one. With that and my skin reaction to sweat and certain materials – I could never find a watch with a band that I liked and wouldn’t cause a reaction. I could find one that fit, but then I would react to it, or it would be the other way around. For the past few years, I have been wearing an Apple Watch but never really liked the band on it. I tried several bands until I found this one. I wasn’t sure what drew me to the band when I saw it on Jane, but something told me to buy it, and why would be revealed later. So buy it, I did. And it was during an interview for Chats from the Blog Cabin when I looked down at my notes did it hit me. My DAD!! So keep reading to find out why this watch band gave me memories of a watch.
Y’all, my dad was and will always be my hero. I still grieve for him, and he has been gone since 2015. He was the most genuine person you would ever meet, and he was the least selfish of all in the family. We always knew that when and if we needed anything, we (meaning my 3 sisters and I) could always call on him. Now don’t get me wrong, my dad had his faults- he was very, very impatient. LOL, but to know him was to love him.
When my dad died, I got very little of his things. I actually had to ask for a few ties for a project but nothing that I could really pass down to the girls. When Maddie got married, I asked my mom if there was perhaps a watch or cufflinks that were my dad’s that I could give to Lex and she said no because she was saving them for my nephews. Which is another whole story that I won’t get into here. That really made me sad because my dad’s watches would have been something I know I would have treasured.
Being a former marine, my dad always had a watch on. I don’t know if it was something that was drilled into him or if it was something that he was born with- but whenever you saw my dad, you saw his watch. Even when he was reading a book on the sun porch, he would have his watch in his hand playing with the clasp as he read. I even recall one time when the girls put on one of his watches and walked around the house saying “I’m Grampie.”
The watches were always big and always had a clasp. They could have been different colors but most of the time they were either silver or gold ( cue Rudolph Music Silver and Gold Christmas Song) and they were never digital. He was old school like that.
My dad’s watches were just like him. Old School, classic, loyal, dependable, reliable, and most importantly always present in our lives. So when I was doing the podcast interview and looked down, I saw my dad’s watch. Sure the band was a little different – somehow I don’t think my dad would have pink leather running through the band. 😉 But I think he would have approved of this watch.
It is the first time that I put a band on that I instantly liked but wasn’t sure why. I actually had it for about a month before I switch bands – I don’t know what was stopping me from switching them before but as I have always said there is a time for everything. And it is all in God’s timing. Do I think it is a coincidence that I changed the band right before Father’s Day – nope I think it was a gentle reminder to me to be like my dad and to love with my whole heart and soul. And to be there when my girls need me as he was for us.
So you see memories of a watch came flooding back, and I have to pause to take a moment to remember how amazing my dad was and how his legacy lives within me even if I don’t have one of his watches.
Everything I do in my work whether it is writing a post, interviewing someone for Chats, traveling to events, or just everyday life- I am doing to honor my dad and all that he meant to me.
