Glass beads have been made and given for over 100,000 years. They’re pieces of art that that unlike things made of fiber and wood and biodegradable things, withstand being buried, washed away, burned, frozen, buried in closets, and any other number of disasters that can befall craft projects.

Beads of Courage is an organization that gives beads to children undergoing tough illnesses to help celebrate and document their journey. Each kind of bead symbolizes a different thing whether a needle stick, chemotherapy, spinal tap, or any number of other medical procedures and milestones. It’s heartrending to hear the stories of the children as they proudly show their strands of beads and talk about how they earned each one.   (Here’s a link to a moving video piece that CBS’s Sunday Morning did last year)  Sometimes having a tangible thing is a really good thing.
I make beads each time I torch up for Beads of Courage.