How A Keychain Means 'Love' To Deputy Editor Dickson Wong

As I continue to build my own collection of home furnishings for my future dwelling, wherever it may be, I find myself evaluating my possessions and constantly asking myself, 'Do I need this or do I want this?' and 'Do I absolutely love this?' And over the years, I've found that many of my favorite objects at home are either a necessity or something that I desired, but very few things actually fit the bill as something that's all of the above and, more importantly, personally meaningful. I decided to take an even closer look and found the one object that is not only a necessity in my life but also something dear to me: My keychain.

It sounds normal enough, but as it is with most meaningful objects, there's a story behind my keychain. Sculpted in the shape of the Eiffel Tower, it was a souvenir from my mother on her first ever trip to Paris just before she turned 60. I remember the moment when she gave it to me. She handed it to me, a faint smile on her face, and said that it was just something small. Sure, the keychain is probably one of millions that are mass produced for all the tourist traps in Paris, but to me this particular Eiffel Tower was a part of my mother's journey in Paris. After she gave me the keychain, she recounted her tales with childlike excitement, from her day in Versailles to the amazing croissant she had from a vendor at the bottom of the Eiffel Tower to the wonderful brasserie where she had tea with my aunts. It was a lifelong dream come true for her to visit Paris, and through the keychain I felt as if I was a part of that journey.

I carry the keychain with me everywhere, everyday. I need it, I want it to hold out forever (albeit one of the "feet" is now slightly bent) and it means a lot to me. And it's a kind reminder that sometimes the most normal objects are the things that bring us the most joy because it holds personal meaning for us, and only us. Hold on to those things.