By Susan Shinn
Salisbury Post
CHINA GROVE ó Julia Wilson knows her charm bracelet is probably long gone.
But still she keeps looking for it.
The silver bracelet with seven charms holds the utmost sentimentality for Julia, who turns 85 in June.
It was a gift for her 80th birthday in 2003 from daughter Norma Honeycutt. Julia and her husband, Norman, had three daughters, Julie Henderson, Norma and Ann Davis.
Julie is a nurse educator with Carolinas Medical Center-NorthEast, Norma is executive director of Partners in Learning child care center and Ann is an assistant superintendent in Mooresville City Schools.
Not only did Norma give her mother a piece of jewelry, each charm had a meaning, and Norma wrote down memories about growing up that each charm carried.
There’s a bell that recalls nights spent around the Christmas tree, all the girls helping their mother decorate the tree.
“Tinsel was a big ordeal,” Norma wrote.
A shoe with a heel reminded Norma of her mother’s style.
“I know what to wear,” Norma wrote.
A cross called to mind Norma’s upbringing with Christian education.
“I have wonderful memories of coming to church and coming to know the Lord,” she wrote.
Three little girl charms represent each daughter.
“I always cut their bangs too short,” Julia said. “That way, I wouldn’t have to cut them very often.”
An ice cream charm represented all the times the girls would walk down to the China Grove Drug Store for a cone of the cool stuff.
“Each charm was to her a memory of her childhood and what had happened to all of us together as a family,” Julia said.
Norma also gave her mother a charm from Spencer High School ó Julia is a member of the class of 1940. Her maiden name ó Julia Dennis ó is written on it.
Julia lost the bracelet once before. It fell off her arm when she was at the beauty shop. But she was able to retrace her steps and find it right at the door. She put an extra clasp on it so it wouldn’t fall off again.
But that’s exactly what happened several weeks ago.
She looked everywhere.
“I have searched every nook and cranny in this house,” she said. “It’s very sentimental. It’s one of a kind.”
Even if her bracelet doesn’t turn up, she’s sure got some good memories about it.
She’s got other good memories as well ó serving four terms on the town board, working with the Historical Society of South Rowan, planting pansies for the beautification committee, having a big shindig for her 70th birthday.
Most of all, she’s a mom to three loving and thoughtful daughters.

Contact Susan Shinn at 704-797-4289 or sshinn@salisburypost.com.