REBECCA’S BRACELET – A LONG ROAD HOME

By Suzen Fromstein

The Cambridge dictionary defines serendipity as finding something interesting or valuable by chance. I’d like to add that sometimes, that “something” finds you. Recently, serendipity decided to make a magical appearance in my life.

My grandmother, Rebecca – whom I never met – died long before I was born. We share the same Hebrew name – Rivkah – and my English first name – Roberta – was chosen to honour her. Yet, in only what can be described as a classic case of name confusion, my parents always called me by my middle name, Suzen. So the tribute kind of got lost in translation.

I only knew two facts about grandma Rebecca: 1. She died of cancer when she was just 32, leaving behind four children, including my dad who was about five at the time. 2. We looked eerily alike. In fact, the photo I had of her seemed like it could have been my own vintage headshot.

Fast forward almost five decades later and we were invited to spend a weekend at cousin Cheryl’s country home. Cheryl, mind you, isn’t even technically a cousin anymore – she’s the ex-wife of my actual cousin – but in our sprawling family tree, exes are never fully pruned. We hold onto them for dear life, like favourite old sweaters. Besides, Cheryl and I shared a special bond: we both had MS. In our family that was as rare as being stuck by lightning, twice.

We’d kept in touch through social media, like two far-flung pen pals of the digital age. When the invitation arrived to meet her Michael we hesitated – mostly because the forecast predicted a weekend full of rain, which is never ideal for country living. But we threw caution (and an umbrella) to the wind and hit the road.

From the moment we arrived, we were welcomed by wagging tails, warm hugs, and some truly excellent home cooking. By the end of the first night, we felt like we’d been there a hundred times before. Even the weather couldn’t dampen our spirits.

On the second night, Cheryl pulled me aside with a secretive grin and handed me a small box. “This is for you,” she said, as if she was about to reveal a plot twist in a soap opera. Inside was a beautiful silver bracelet – none other than grandma Rebecca’s! I nearly dropped it out of shock.

Apparently, Cheryl’s mother-in-law, my aunt, had given her the bracelet years ago. Cheryl, however, always felt like it didn’t belong to her and decided that this weekend, the bracelet was coming home—to me, Rebecca’s granddaughter.

This was a piece of family history that had traveled through a whole series of hands and hearts before finally finding its way back to me. Who knew that a simple weekend getaway would lead to me wearing a bracelet that binds me, quite literally, to my roots?

And if that wasn’t enough, Cheryl also shared her zucchini bread recipe—trust me, it’s to die for—and some tips on an MS supplement that she swears by. Honestly, the trip couldn’t have been more enriching if I tried.

Life is full of surprises, some silver (like bracelets) and some that come in the form of shared laughter and recipes. Until that fateful weekend, I had no real connection to grandma Rebecca beyond an old photo. Now, I have her bracelet—and a newfound connection to my past, as well as a stronger bond with the present.

As for the name “Rebecca” (or Rivkah, if you’re into Hebrew), it’s said to mean “to tie or secure.” It seems fitting, then, that her bracelet has tied me to her in a way I never expected.

Sometimes, life surprises you with an unexpected twist, reminding you that even when you feel disconnected, there’s always a chance that something (or someone) will come back to you—just when you need it most.