How many of you are wearing or have in your pocket or purse some sort of talisman - a small something that reminds you of something much bigger? We often call these things we carry around with us keepsakes or mementos or jewelry. But they're really talismans.

According to the dictionary, a talisman is a trinket or piece of jewelry thought to afford some protection against danger and evil.

Maybe you wear a locket that holds inside it photos of loves ones.

Maybe you keep a worry stone (or a rosary?) in your pocket for your anxious fingers and anxious thoughts to turn over again and again.

Maybe you wear a ring from a parent or grandparent, letting that circle around your finger remind you of the family circle and the relationships you hold tight and that hold you tight.

Maybe you wear a speci…