This photo of my Ammah (mother in Tamil) was taken at a studio in Sri Lanka when she was 21 or 22 years old. We rarely shared our feelings growing up, however now that I am a mother of two very young children, I have a new found appreciation for my Ammah. She always worked full time and took care of us along with my father. She never verbally spoke to us about how to be independent or a strong woman, instead a lot of times it was through strict discipline as is typical of an immigrant family. My father moved to America first and he sponsored us a year or two later in 1999. My Ammah brought three young children in a plane for the first time to begin a new life in an unknown country, culture, and language, leaving behind her home and family with only a couple of suitcases and a hope for a better future for us away from the civil war in Sri Lanka.
I found it difficult when I moved from the US to UK after I got married about 7 years ago. I am scared to think of what it would be like for me at this point to move to another country with different culture and language with my young children. She was and is a brave woman. I learnt how to be a hard worker from my father but I am fierce because of my mother.
She gave me this chain, the first chain she bought in 1985 or 1986 after she got her first job at a bank in 1978. This is one of my favourite piece of jewellery to wear because of the sentimental value and story behind this chain. I can feel and imagine how proud she must of been to buy this chain for herself - a sense of accomplishment.
Reasons like this is why I started this business to invest in 22 karat gold jewellery. The pieces last forever and the memories created are priceless.
2022