The Relic was made for a life it has not lived yet. You are part of that life.
It may be unmarked, uncreased, untouched. Brand new, perhaps. We understand why the name feels misplaced.
Relic does not describe what it is today. It describes the history it is intended to arrive with.
The life ahead / five custodial conditions
Nothing ceremonial. Everything ordinary.
The Relic needs use, maintenance, movement, and time. You do not need to understand its origin in order to care for it correctly.
01 / Accept
Call the Relic yours.
Keep it. Name it if that is something you do. Put it beside the things you reach for without thinking. There is no temporary-owner etiquette to observe.
Acceptance requires no signature. By taking the Relic into your life, you become its Custodian. The designation begins now.
Custodian-designate priorCustodian active
Prior claim none presentedPayment settled elsewhereDesignation Custodian / active
02 / Use
Do not keep it new.
Wear it, carry it, play with it, write in it, or put it to whatever ordinary purpose its form suggests. Choose it often enough that it learns your habits.
Scratches, fading, creases, stains, and softened edges are not failures. Newness is the one condition the Relic was not sent here to keep.
Approved use ordinaryDisplay-only storage discouraged
03 / Maintain
Mend what use changes.
Clean the Relic when you would normally clean it. Repair it when damage interrupts its purpose. A patch, new lace, replaced lining, fresh grip, reinforced seam, or careful reconditioning belongs to it as surely as wear does.
Prefer repair to replacement. Keep as much of the Relic itself as ordinary judgment allows. Perfection is not required.
Alteration permittedEvidence of care retained
04 / Remain
Let it move when you move.
If your address changes, the Relic should change addresses with you. Travel with it when that is natural. Lend it briefly if you trust it will return. Do not put it away solely because this page made it seem important.
You are not required to keep records, make photographs, or tell anyone nearby. Your continued possession is sufficient.
Geographic movement expectedWritten record not required
05 / Surrender
One day, you will give it back.
The Relic is yours, but it is not yours forever. A time will come when you must relinquish it. You will know when that time has come. Until then, keep it and continue.
Do not surrender it early. Do not spend your time watching for the end. The means will present itself when the interval is complete.
Parting provenance / optional
Before the Relic leaves your possession, you will have the opportunity to send a Provenance Note with it. You may record where it went, what it survived, what you repaired, what it meant to you, or something known only to its next reader. Leave one if you wish. Silence is also accepted.
Closing date withheldProvenance Note optional
What remains
You may still want to know.
Who left the Relic for me?
A Placement Liaison arranged for it to be found where you could not reasonably miss it. Their work is now complete.
Why was I chosen?
Because the Relic could enter your life without requiring you to become someone else.
What if the Relic is lost or badly damaged?
Search, repair, or grieve according to the value it has acquired by then. Do not substitute a similar object and pretend nothing happened.
What if I no longer want it?
Put it away for a while, then reconsider. Permanent transfer to another person is discouraged before the time of surrender.
Is anyone watching me?
The Relic requires a life, not a performance.
RELIC
End of orientation
That is the whole of it.
Use the Relic. Repair what use changes. Keep it near. Do not postpone your life while waiting for the rest of the explanation.
