You may have seen a set of rings that I wear every day on my right index finger. I don’t ever take them off, even for pictures that we do for jewelry that is for sale and yet these rings are not for sale. Odd that I would pose (which I don’t enjoy, by the way) with items which you cannot purchase. But these rings are super special to me.
They are the wedding band that my grandparents exchanged in 1940 when they snuck off and eloped when everyone else thought they were at a youth roller skating event. They quietly got married and then each went home to their parents house as if nothing happened. (That’s a story for another day.)
Several years ago my grandma gave them to me. Maybe because I always played with them when I was at her house, maybe because I hung around her jewelry box a little too long. I don’t know but she has had 2 other wedding bands since the original. I always thought I’d wear them on a ribbon around my neck when I got married…. still waiting to do that.
The rings are simple, but yet thoughtful. Each band is inscribed with their wedding date and a simple to & from (from RB to LT / from LT to RB). There was a modest pattern on them of which only Grandpa’s remains. As an electrician and general blue collar worker he didn’t feel rings were safe to wear on the job. They catch on things and I won’t go any further. So needless to say his pattern is preserved.
For 60+ years the rings that tied the knot, tied it as tight as is possible… by God’s grace it was till death they did part.
Late last year I showed Grandma that I was wearing them and she seemed confused on what I was talking about. Maybe it was because she was just waking up from a nap or maybe because they look different than they did 75 years ago. I stopped asking her because I refuse to believe that there is anything wrong with my feisty 93 year old grandma.
About two weeks ago I was at her house. I knew I wanted to tell you all about the rings and I wanted to get a picture with her wearing them. When I took them off and put them on her finger she said with a huge smile: “WHERE DID YOU GET THESE?!?!”. With that kind of response, my heart knew she is the rightful owner and I never want her to take them off again. So if you see me feeling my finger like something is missing…. it is, but it is also delightful to know they have been twice given to Grandma and are back on the finger where they belong.
Hope you enjoyed this! The only reason we exist is to raise money for women and children in need. Please check out our store, pick up a LittleGem for yourself and #sparkle4HOPE
--------------Update December 2015
After I gave the rings back to Grandma she wore them everyday. It was really fun to see her wear them. She wore them on a cruise with my parents and on a trip to visit her daughter out west. She wore them when she moved in with my parents in May of 2015. She wore them when she had a stroke and while she recovered in the hospital telling all her stories to the doctors and nurses. She was a great patient. She wore them when she returned to the hospital later when she was having silent heart attacks. She took them off when she was in therapy after getting a pace maker and refusing to do the physical therapy that they asked her too. She said she was old, let the young ones do it. Grandma went to meet her Lord in December 2015.
My mom brought the rings home but somehow after they came home we couldn't find them. Behind her back I scoured her house because and searched every purse and wallet I could find at her house. I didn't want her to feel bad that they were missing. They were not to be found. Mom has been known to dump her wallet out and give the contents away and it was Christmas time. I was sure that she had put the rings in her wallet and dumped them out with her change into a Salvation Army bucket. So Salvation Army became my target. I called around trying to find out what happens to rings that get put into buckets. Captain this and Lieutenant that were hounded by me for several weeks trying to find out if rings were found. People were polite, but nothing was found. I even stopped by a Salvation Army store near my work, but nothing. No 1940's simple wedding rings.
I had to leave it in the hands of God. I prayed to find them but if the answer is no, it's no.
--------------Update March 26 2017
Today I was sitting on the couch after dinner and we were talking about Grandma. It's been more than a year since we lost her to heaven. Mom said, oh you'll be interested to know this. You know two weeks ago when the pastor's son, William asked for lose change because his class was collecting for a leukemia charity. Sure...I remember. Well dad gave him a huge bag of loose change. They called me later and told me two rings were in the change that were inscribed inside From LT to RB....
The rings twice given.... and twice given again.