Rite Of Passage

When I was six, I got my ears pierced. For it being so very long ago, I actually remember the day quite well. I was with my mom in the Northtown Mall in Toledo, Ohio…long before it is whatever it is now… and as we passed Claire’s Boutique, I remember telling her that I wanted to get my ear’s pierced. She didn’t hesitate for a minute. She smiled, she told me it would hurt and led me by the hand into the store. After picking out some ruby studs and using a marker to dictate where the earrings would go, a nice young lady quickly pierced the first one and I immediately teared up. Mom had to hold my hand and calm me down a bit so I wouldn’t have to leave there looking lopsided. The nice young clerk then pierced my second ear. And that was it. I had pierced ears.

As mom was paying at the counter for my newfound body jewelry, I firmly wrapped my arms around her right thigh and hung onto her jeans while a few tears fell down my 6 year old cheek. She rubbed the back of my head and looked down at me.
“See, that didn’t hurt so bad, did it?”
I smiled, “No.”
“Does it still hurt now?” She asked.
“No.” I giggled, realizing she was right. They had stopped hurting.

I remember all of this. It was a great day and I’m thankful for the memory.

This summer, just before Shelby turned six, she asked me if she could get her ears pierced. I had been waiting for her to ask. A lot of people pierce their little girls’ ears at infancy, and I’ve had plenty of Latinas in the neighborhood ask me why I hadn’t done it to my girl. My answer was always the same.

“I’ll wait until she asks.”

She did ask, and I was excited. I made her patiently wait until our summer vacation was over and yesterday I took her to the mall to get her ears pierced. She was so excited as expected. I was definitely more nervous than she, but I had been telling her that it would hurt to try and prepare her. Shelby picked out a very pretty pair of pink flower studs and as she sat in the chair waiting for her step into earrings, I was extremely emotional myself.

 This is what my mom did with me. I remember this day for myself and I pray that she’ll remember it too. I thought of how important earrings are to girls..Middle school…High School…College! Earrings are fun and make girls feel special. Shelby was sitting right in front of me, growing up. Literally, right before my very eyes, she was growing up.

Shelby asked me to hold her hand, and I did. My only tweak was to ask if they could do both ears at the same time, just to be done with it. They did, she giggled in the reality of it….and now she’s got pierced ears. She never cried.

 I am so happy for her. She’s been talking about them nonstop…to anyone who, well, has ears.