Alphabet Beads
People use language for communication, but few of us are aware of how deep our obsession with the written word goes. Some people are obsessed with fonts, spending hours and hours trying to find the perfect layout and appearance for a text. Other people stress out over their handwriting, trying to get their script just perfect to create the most beautiful letters they can. Other people get elaborate messages tattooed in different languages on their skin, sometimes in languages they can’t even read, just because they like the way they look.
When I opened up a bead store a few years ago, I tried to stock a wide variety of different products. I had a lot of earthy clay beads, sterling silver beads, and more contemporary acrylic beads. One thing I didn’t realize would sell so well, however, was my selection of alphabet beads. Yet the proof, as they say, is in the pudding. Practically every variety of alphabet bead that I have sells out within a month of me getting the shipment. The sterling Silver alphabet beads, the plastic ones, and even the large ones for children are all quick sellers.
I was curious about why people bought so many alphabet beads, and I started asking my customers about it. What was interesting was the great variety of answers I got. Some people just liked making friendship bracelets for friends, while others had more elaborate plans. I even knew one guy who proposed to his wife through an alphabet bracelet. He put it on her wrist while she was sleeping one night and, when she woke up, she had an alphabet bracelet that said "will you marry me?"
I’ve even met people who use the alphabet beads for some sort of personal message for themselves. A lot of folks have a motto that they like to keep around their necks at all times. It is sort of like a talisman. Sometimes it is a family motto, sometimes it is just a personal phrase that they view as inspiring. By creating an alphabet bead necklace, they hope to make it more part of them somehow.
When I started the bead store, I never realized how much I would learn about humanity. By watching how people like to decorate themselves, I can learn a lot about what they are into and how they see the world. Alphabet beads are yet one more aspect of human culture that deserves notice.
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