What's with the mala?

In my teacher training course, we each received a gift of a mala.  And now, you quite regularly see me wearing mine, either around my neck or wrist.
I had never used a mala before "yoga-camp," and I wasn't sure what to expect from getting to know one, so I went into it a blank canvas, with no expectations, and I was pleasantly surprised to learn how much I enjoyed that simple string of beads.
In training, we primarily used the malas for chanting.  If you've never been in a room full of people chanting together, malas or no, you need to try this experience!  It was electrifying and soothing all at once.  Using the mala beads for chanting keeps us all "on the same bead," as well as providing a tactile layer to the experience.
After each chant, it was as if my mala had absorbed all that lovely energy, from all those lovely people, and as a result, I loved keeping it with me.  On me.
Now, chanting along at home is not quite the same experience, but it does bring a reminiscence of chanting with the group, and much like a cat who purrs, I feel comforted, even by the solo chant.  And my mala is a reminder of and a vessel for that comfort.
 I use my mala for meditation, counting one bead for each full cycle of breath.  In this function, my mala is grounding and centering.
While I love the mala I was gifted in teacher training, I found with regular use that I wanted one to fit and suit me better, so I now have one that was custom made for me.  My first mala will have a loving home on my soon to be completed altar - to act as a reminder of my time spent in training.
So, what's with the mala?
It's comforting, inspiring, humbling, energizing, soothing, balancing, it's a symbol of dedication to my path, a symbol of love and of life...
I guess the short answer to that question is this simply:  Everything.

My mala, made with bodhi seeds and turquoise, from AhimsaOm, Kelowna.