Anyone had a near death experience ?

[qubitasaurus]

Rainbow or multiple color effects mean they have cracks or fissures inside of the stone. (the green& yellow ones are exceptions).
A flawless sapphire without the fissures will not have the color effect like that. If you prefer it to be impeccable and it will not come with any color like that.
Most emerald will come with crack of fissures too if they don’t they are $5000+per ct.
If u check Sotheby’s and other auction’s sapphires and rubies and you can find out 60-70% sapphires and 80% burmese rubies come with minor internal cracks.
Here is a 90K ruby from Sotheby’s and you can see so much crack and inclusions inside of the stone. The table is not even polished nicely.

I ahh think you deserve a holiday to unpack the feelings and concentrate on doing things which make you feel alive/healthy. Followed by a bling project down the line to distract you.

I don't have a useful contribution, but every once in a while I look back on choices I made and how very different things would be if I'd made them differently. I can identify one where I'd certainly be dead by now if I'd made it differently. And I just find it confusing to think about. Like I can't rationalise how I ended up where I am as opposed to the other scenario (in reality it was blind chance, and havign to accept I'm not actually in control makes me uncomfortable so I keep trying to assert I had some role in choosing/influencing the outcome. But rationally I know my influence was limited and the rest was a combination of external factors.). I try to see it in the context of the bigger picture of my life, which is actually just a series of choices. I'm just attributing significance to this one for emotional reasons.

The other way to see it is quantum suicide which asserts you can't die, lol. Every once in a while if I'm feeling sadonic I close caption my life this way for fun.

 

[SparklieBug]

One of my mom's best friends had a heart episode while out gardening. She rose above her body, saw her body lying on the lawn, and like others have mentioned, felt a great sense of peace. She also had the tunnel of light experience, and then returned to her physical body, unafraid of death/dying anymore. She knew that "she" was much more than just the physical body.

She told only her husband and my mom. This was long before people talked about these things, and she was afraid she'd be committed to an institution if anyone found out.

As a youngster, I found this experience absolutely fascinating. Still do.

 

[DutchJackie]

Thank you so much for your support and sharing your stories.

My mum had said she could get me a small budget little shiny if I wished (I think she was trying to cheer me up!) but I realised I didn’t want jewelry that would remind me of it ! So, I got *lots* of really nice chocolate instead haha, I’ve been giving some out to my friends and people who came to visit me and brought me some at the hospital, I don’t want to gain 5 pounds haha, and I enjoy gifting, but it has cheered me up!

Such a great idea

 

[cvalier26]

So I had my first meeting and it went really well, it lasted an hour, and when I started talking I just couldn’t stop ! It was really helpful to pour everything out. I’m not going to go into details, but basically we said I shouldn’t feel guilty because it hadn’t been a competition with limited places for who would survive, that we were all completely different people with our own individual life paths, that just happened to cross paths for a couple of hours in our lives, just like you would meet someone on the subway (sounds a bit silly said like that!).
Then we discussed a lot getting back into a regular structured life, as I’m really progressing thankfully in healing physically

 

[Bonfire]

Well done @cvalier26, you should be proud of yourself!
I’m so glad you reached out and are getting the support and tools to cope, learn and heal. Hugs to you in your physical recovery as well.

 

[cvalier26]

Had my second meeting !
We discussed the feeling of hopelessness when you see so much suffering around you :
We talked about creating a « Hope Box » : mine will be the pink basket top left !
It is a box where you put all your reasons to have hope for the present and future : pictures of your loved ones, places you would love to visit someday, favorite quotes, even favorite scents . Lots of possibilities

 

[MMtwo]

Thank you for your support !
My mum just said : « I was hoping you would realize how frivolous jewelry was in life ! - but whatever I guess, just choose a little something, send me the link, and let’s get it over with »

Glad to hear you're okay! hope the counseling helps process the experience.

An aside, it annoys me that "frivolous jewelry" is frowned upon but collecting or making art, restoring automobiles, photography, collecting music or audio equipment is "okay". Rock collecting is fine too, until the rocks get expensive. Why?

 

[cvalier26]

Glad to hear you're okay! hope the counseling helps process the experience.

An aside, it annoys me that "frivolous jewelry" is frowned upon but collecting or making art, restoring automobiles, photography, collecting music or audio equipment is "okay". Rock collecting is fine too, until the rocks get expensive. Why?

I would say maybe because it has an association with (female) vanity
Music, art : creativity, originality
Automobiles : virility
I may be completely off base

 

[Gloria27]

Glad to hear you're okay! hope the counseling helps process the experience.

An aside, it annoys me that "frivolous jewelry" is frowned upon but collecting or making art, restoring automobiles, photography, collecting music or audio equipment is "okay". Rock collecting is fine too, until the rocks get expensive. Why?

Making or restoring something is not the same as collecting something.

Making something requires talent and skills and collecting requires money and some taste.

 

[MMtwo]

Making or restoring something is not the same as collecting something.

Making something requires talent and skills and collecting requires money and some taste.

At the root of making art, at restoring items, at buying jewelry or collecting jewelry is a passion. Artists are not "better" than automotive repair men or jewelry collectors. Jewelry collectors invest in their passion, but it costs them to participate. Maybe they made their money as a dentist. This does not mean they are somehow morally deficient to enjoy shiny things.

Well, unless they steal them.

 

[Ibrakeforpossums]

Mr. Car Parts is on BAT - Bring a Trailer - every day and I can verify that skill in collecting and/ or restoring old cars is relatively rare, along with judgement and feel for the market. In abundance are testosterone and unfounded optimism.
OTOH, jewelry doesn't require storage rental or leak oil.

 

[Gloria27]

At the root of making art, at restoring items, at buying jewelry or collecting jewelry is a passion. Artists are not "better" than automotive repair men or jewelry collectors. Jewelry collectors invest in their passion, but it costs them to participate. Maybe they made their money as a dentist. This does not mean they are somehow morally deficient to enjoy shiny things.

Well, unless they steal them.

I think you are comparing the wrong categories.
Makers of any kind are not the same as collectors:

A fine artist or let's say a classically trained musician is a highly educated and trained person who dedicated their life to their art (while studying art hitory from the begining of time and all the masters etc).
A fine art collector or classical music lover can be anyone.

Automotive repair doesn't require anyone to be a scholar, you don't even need to finish highschool, just be smart enough to understand how things work.
Restorations are not the same as normal repairs and require more specialized knowledge and skills.
An automotive engineer is not the same as an automotive repair man.
An automotive collector is not the same as the other two either.

Making jewellery it's a skill based job (talent helps) and requires some sort of apprenticeship. In the UK, 100 years ago, it used to be a 7 years apprenticeship in order to be able to become a jeweller in the Jewellery Quarted of Birmingham.
Making jewellery is not the same as designing jewellery, you can be a jewellery designer(art/design school) and not be a jeweller.

Also, jewellers and other makers are considered artisans not artists, there is a difference.

To collect jewellery you can be educated or even an expert, but you don't have to be. If you can afford it you can buy from the big names and be sure you get authentic pieces of the highest quality. You can also hire people to hunt gems/ special pieces for you.


In terms of costs, google ballerina feet and see the cost of passion. It's not the same as making your money as a dentist then collecting gems, it's a life choice (great sacrifice with the risk of ending up broke).

 

[MMtwo]

I think you are comparing the wrong categories.
Makers of any kind are not the same as collectors:

A fine artist or let's say a classically trained musician is a highly educated and trained person who dedicated their life to their art (while studying art hitory from the begining of time and all the masters etc).
A fine art collector or classical music lover can be anyone.

Automotive repair doesn't require anyone to be a scholar, you don't even need to finish highschool, just be smart enough to understand how things work.
Restorations are not the same as normal repairs and require more specialized knowledge and skills.
An automotive engineer is not the same as an automotive repair man.
An automotive collector is not the same as the other two either.

Making jewellery it's a skill based job (talent helps) and requires some sort of apprenticeship. In the UK, 100 years ago, it used to be a 7 years apprenticeship in order to be able to become a jeweller in the Jewellery Quarted of Birmingham.
Making jewellery is not the same as designing jewellery, you can be a jewellery designer(art/design school) and not be a jeweller.

Also, jewellers and other makers are considered artisans not artists, there is a difference.

To collect jewellery you can be educated or even an expert, but you don't have to be. If you can afford it you can buy from the big names and be sure you get authentic pieces of the highest quality. You can also hire people to hunt gems/ special pieces for you.


In terms of costs, google ballerina feet and see the cost of passion. It's not the same as making your money as a dentist then collecting gems, it's a life choice (great sacrifice with the risk of ending up broke).

Thank you for making your point. I agree they are not the same and education needed, skills and so on are not the same. I got excited up on my soapbox

The point I was trying to make was that collectors (I'll leave creators out) are judged by what they collect. Art collectors, stamp collectors, wine collectors are seen differently than jewelry collectors.

 

[Gloria27]

Thank you for making your point. I agree they are not the same and education needed, skills and so on are not the same. I got excited up on my soapbox

The point I was trying to make was that collectors (I'll leave creators out) are judged by what they collect. Art collectors, stamp collectors, wine collectors are seen differently than jewelry collectors.

Thank you for your elegant reply and not getting upset ar anything.

I agree with that statement, jewellery is seen differently and people with passion for it are few. That's why we are on a forum, we don't know many people like ourselves in real life.
Since we are on a NDE topic, I'll say this, never had one.
Lately I have stopped thinking of jewellery so much (no, I'm lying, just stopped thinking of buying) and plan to invest more in experiences and more time with loved ones (because of Covid and war).

 

[seaurchin]

An aside, it annoys me that "frivolous jewelry" is frowned upon but collecting or making art, restoring automobiles, photography, collecting music or audio equipment is "okay". Rock collecting is fine too, until the rocks get expensive. Why?

Called "frivolous" by who and "frowned upon" by who?

I'd find it quite unpleasant to be around anyone who felt the need to demean my interests or who thought I needed to justify the worthiness of my interests. If you were spending the grocery money, that would be different but tbh this sounds a little ugly. Tell them to f*** off.

 

[KristyDarling]

My uncle had an NDE, though I'm not sure it's technically an NDE since he passed away shortly after. He died of leukemia when he was only 14, in 1947. On his deathbed, according to my grandpa, the last thing he said was, "Look! It's a circle of angels!" as he gazed up at the ceiling, and then he passed away.

 

[kenny]

I have several every week.

I drive Los Angeles' freeways.

 

[MamaBee]

I have several every week.

I drive the freeways of Los Angeles.

Every time I’ve been there the highways were like parking lots!

 

[kenny]

Every time I’ve been there the highways were like parking lots!

Oh, that's just during the rush hours.

There are two.
Morning rush hour is from 4 AM to Noon.
Evening rush hour is from Noon to 8 pm.

8 PM and 4 AM ain't so bad.
Even better is 11 PM to 2:30 AM, when you can sometimes even drive the speed limit.