I wear one piece of jewelry every day.
Some days I add a silver necklace and earrings, but most days I go without any bling.
The one piece I do wear all the time is the ring on my right hand.
It was my mother’s ring, Mama Sling’s one piece of jewelry I still have in my possession.
All the other pieces were stolen when my Boston apartment was broken into years ago. The thieves ransacked the place and took all of my worldly possessions out in my very own pillowcases!
I didn’t even realize what they took at the time. Each day that passed I found something else missing.
My father put it best.
“It’s just stuff Jamie.”
But, not Mama Sling’s ring.
I wore it everyday, so it was with me when the perpetrators were breaking down the apartment door.
I have worn this ring on my finger since my mother’s funeral.
For almost twelve years, it has rested on my finger, a constant reminder of Mama Sling’s strength and her love.
Until today.
In the middle of the afternoon, I looked down at my hand and noticed my ring was missing a gemstone. No!
I starred at the ring confused.
Just where and when did the garnet fall out?
I sat at my desk, starring out the window and then back to my hand. Where could it be? I retraced all my paths of the day, walking Pup, errands to Staples, and back again. There was just too much ground covered to narrow it down.
The garnet is gone.
As the gravity of it sunk in, I sighed. My dad was right, “it’s just stuff” but it’s the stuff that shines of my mother’s love.
I don’t need a ring or any possession to carry Mama Sling’s spirit with me. But, the timing is just too ironic, Mother’s Day being this Sunday.
As I sat at my desk, I consoled my inner child and surprisingly felt okay. I kept asking myself, “are you going to cry?”
The answer was a calm and steady, “no”.
I was overcome with gratitude for all the strength my mother’s ring has given me over the years. It’s seen me through the tumultuous twenties and the twists and turns of my thirties.
I felt very much at peace.
That is, until, I heard these words come out of my computer.
Be brave my love,
The time has come
It stung.
Right through my heart.
Close your eyes,
Don’t look back,
There’s nothing left to see
I had never heard this song before, but there it appeared with impeccable timing.
Like an angel you appeared,
And we climbed the endless sky,
And held each other near,
And there we’ll stand,
Looking out upon the world that we’ve known
All fear will be gone,
When we reach the shores of Avalon
The song is Shores of Avalon by Tina Malia.
I have never heard of either.
As the last lyric piped through my computer speakers, these final words echoed: Be brave my love.
That’s when I put my head down.
I cried. I sobbed.
I won’t buy a new ring to replace this one, or even to fix it.
Not until The Promise 365 is complete.
And, that is okay, I can wait.
Some things are worth it.
Even though my finger feels naked, my heart is full.
