Mourning jewel

Saying goodbye to a loved one is sad, and we all know what it is to mourn, because it is part of life. Sometimes these are hidden processes, and sometimes an outward form can be found for them… Mourning is bound up with (quiet) grief, and that grief deserves a place. You do not celebrate grief, you work through it. Once grief has been worked through, there is room in the heart again. Periods of mourning go hand in hand with a different way of living: people are restrained and avoid festivities for a while. In various parts of our country people adapt their clothing or wear a mourning jewel. It is usually dark in colour or black.

I found black buttons that came from such a dark garment. I set them into the prayer nut as an ornament. Anyone who needs it can use this prayer nut to keep remembering a loved one. The inside of the nut also remains a private space, a place to write the names of loved ones and so to pray an ongoing prayer.