I’m not inclined to collect objects—in fact, I’m quite the opposite. If I don’t use something or it doesn’t resonate with me, I let it go. I don’t like surrounding myself with things that feel devoid of meaning or value. I’m also not a believer in charms or superstitions that attribute good fortune to material objects. Yet, I keep a small religious card and medallion in my wallet. They are gifts from my mother. She believes they protect me from harm.

I am a person of faith and belief, but not of religion. I don’t believe in the protective power of saints or talismans. Yet, I do believe in the power of love. I also believe in my mother’s prayers. I keep the card and medallion as a gesture of respect and love for her. They serve as an invisible vessel for all her blessings.

Even more than we pray for ourselves, no one prays for us more than our own parents.