'Exuberance'

ex-u-ber-ance

  [ig-zoo-ber-un ns]

--noun

1.   Also, ex-u-ber-an-cy.  the state of being exuberant.*

I recently purchased a pair of earrings for an amount that I consider quite high for earrings.  The amount really isn't important, but its an amount that usually takes quite a bit of rationalization for me to pay this amount for something so small.  

The reason I purchased them?  The story the artist told me.  He made them personal, and I couldn't pass that up. 

I was really just window shopping and didn't intend to purchase anything.  But when I stopped at this booth, some of the earrings on display caught my eye.  So I picked up a pair and looked a bit closer.  Then I looked at the price tag. And I put them back.  Continuing to browse the booth, I noticed another pair.  And noticed the same price.  On the 3rd pair, I didn't pick them up.  Having seen the proprietor of the booth notice me, I didn't want to think he was making a sale, when I really didn't intend to buy anything at all.  

But he was watching carefully.  He saw that the three pairs of earrings were basically the same design.  These earrings aren't all that large, maybe 3/4" long, so the design on them isn't extremely well defined from a distance.  But I picked the same design all three times.  Having seen this, the proprietor came from behind the booth, picked up the original pair and proceeded to tell me the story of the creation of the design.  He showed me the symbolism portrayed when the earrings are hanging and the alternate symbolism when they are laying flat.  He told me that the name of this design was, 'Exuberance.'  Then he put the earrings back and went back behind the booth.

That's all.  He didn't talk about price.  He didn't make me a deal.  He didn't pressure me.  He just told me a story--a story of what this design meant to him, the artist.

I purchased the original pair that had caught my eye.  And every time I wear them I experience a little bit of 'Exuberance.'  I feel:

ex-u-ber-ant

  [ig-zoo-ber-uh nt]

--adjective

1.     effusively and almost uninhibitedly enthusiastic; lavishly abundant: an exuberant welcome for the hero.

2.     abounding in vitality; extremely joyful and vigorous.

3.     extremely good; overflowing; plentiful: exuberant health.

4.     profuse in growth or production; luxuriant; superabundant: exuberant vegetation.*

* from dictionary.com

When I grow up, I want to be able to sell like that!

...and, yes I wore those earrings today.