It’s me Swimmer. Though the first day of spring has passed, the cold days continue, don’t they?
When winter comes, safety pins find use in various places around my home. Their purpose is warmth—securing fluffy towels to the quilt, and holding garments together.
Now, the history of this safety pin is quite ancient, apparently dating back to the Mycenaean civilization around the 14th century BC. By the 13th century BC, it seems to have taken on a form almost identical to the one we use today.
However, perhaps because its use was mainly for jewelry, it gradually faded into obscurity amidst the shifts of time and civilizations. Its revival came surprisingly late, in 1849, when it was reinvented by American inventor Walter Hunt.
Since then, safety pins have undergone refinements and improvements, remaining a convenient household item to this day.
Today, this object that “connects and holds things together” seems to have taken on additional roles: its shape and function now also symbolize rebellion and signify solidarity.