text: The locket, a heart shape locket has been in the St. James family for a generation, pass down from mother to daughter on the day of their 18th birthday. Today is Hailey St. James 18th birthday, the day she will receive the most special gift that has been in her family for a generation. Hailey doesn't know the back story to the gift, she only knows the gift is pass down from mother to daughter on their 18th birthday. On this special day Hailey's mother Caroline will tell her all about the gift and what it means to receive the gift. Hailey wakes up with a smile on her face, the sun lighting up her room on her 18th birthday. Hailey takes her time picking a special dress to wear. She picks her favorite light blue dress with matching shoes, the dress her mother loves. Hailey goes to take a shower, after words she does her hair leaving it down, puts on light make up and then puts her dress on. She looks at herself in the mirror. Hailey loves the way she looks, she then goes down stairs for breakfast. Caroline is making chocolate chip pancake, Hailey's favorite. Caroline hears Hailey coming. She sets the table with the food and surprises Hailey. "Surprise. My little girl is 18." Hailey smiles. Caroline hugs Hailey. "You look beautiful." "Thanks mom." Hailey and Caroline sit and eat breakfast. They talk about many things. Hailey's hopes and dreams. What it means to turn 18 and the topic of the special gift comes up. Caroline finishes eating, she gets up from her chair, goes to her bedroom, opens the night stand and takes out a box. Caroline walks back to Hailey and sits next to her, she puts the box on the table. Caroline takes her daughters hand and tells her "This is a very special gift that has been in our family for a generation." "I know mom." Caroline smiles. "This gift has a very special story that needs to be told so you will understand the meaning of the gift and then one day you will give the gift to your daughter and tell her the story." Hailey nods. Caroline begins the story with her grandmother Poppy who began the tradition of the gift. The year was 1917 when the U.S. entered the Great War. Poppy was a young lady of 21, who was madly in love with Samuel. He went off to fight in Europe, before he left Samuel gave Poppy a heart shape locket, so she will always have his heart. Samuel told Poppy "This locket is my heart, hold it with you and remember me." With tears in her eyes Poppy says goodbye to the love of her life. Poppy laid awake night after night with the locket always remembering Samuel, remembering their love, praying he will comeback. A year and a half later on November 11th 1918 the war ended. Poppy was excited and fearful that she will never get to see Samuel. Three days later Samuel surprised Poppy and returned home to share their life together. Poppy ran to Samuel hugged and kissed him. She told Samuel. "This locket kept me alive, it gave me strength and hope you will return to me, and now that you are home with me, I will give this locket one day to our daughter on her 18th birthday and tell her the story of how this locket saved me and brought you home and so forth this tradition will continue to our future daughter and their future daughter and so on." Years later on the 18th birthday of Poppy and Samuel's daughter Elizabeth she was given the locket and told the story of how the locket kept Poppy safe and gave her hope. Poppy told Elizabeth the locket is yours and the day when you have your daughter the locket will be hers and the story will be told of the locket and what it means for our family especially our daughters. When you have your daughter and the day she turns 18 the locket will be hers and the tradition will continue with every generation of St. James women. Caroline finished the story by telling Hailey that this locket is a testament to the love we share as a family, the bond we as mothers share with our daughters and with the ones we give our heart to. Hailey looks at the box and then her mother, she tells her mother "The story is amazing and very beautiful. I will always cherish this most special gift." Caroline smiles, she hands the box to Hailey. She opens the box and sees the most beautiful locket. Inscribed on the back of the locket reads "My daughters past, present and future may love keep you strong." "Your grandmother inscribed the locket for all of us to share and of course love." Caroline helps Hailey put the locket on. The locket hangs beautifully on Hailey. "I love it." "I'm glad you love it. Your grandmother wants to talk you more about the locket." Hailey nods. The door bell rings, Caroline answers, it's her mother Elizabeth. Caroline hugs her mother and gives her a kiss on the cheek. Elizabeth asks Caroline about the locket. Caroline tells her mother she gave the locket to Hailey. Her mother smiles. Caroline calls Hailey. Hailey comes down the stairs and hugs her grandmother. She shows her the locket. "The locket looks beautiful on you." "Thanks grandma." "Have a seat my dear. I have more to tell you about the locket." Hailey sits on the couch, Elizabeth right next to her. She begins the story. "This locket belonged to my mother Poppy. My father gave it to her the day he left for France during the Great War. He told her this locket is my heart hold it with you and remember me. My mother kept the locket with her day and night praying my father will come home and he did. The locket gave her hope that my father will come home and they will be a family. My father kept that promise. When I turned 18 my mother gave me the locket you are wearing and told me the story of the locket. You know what my mother was right. The locket does bring you hope and love because the locket did for me what it did for my mother and your mother. The locket brought home the people we love and gave us hope and one day the locket will do the same for you." "I will hold the locket with me next to my heart. Thank you for the wonderful present mom, grandma and great grandmother Poppy."