Tuesday 1 April 2008

The Precious Things In Life.

The precious things in life, we probably take for granted. Most of us would say that our families are the most precious thing in our lives followed by friends and pets, health, having enough money to live a reasonably good life. We might add, in a broader sense, clean air to breathe, water to drink, enough to eat, a pleasant environment and work that we enjoy. Oh, and not forgetting freedom of speech, especially in our blogging! Take any of these precious things from our lives and there would be a terrible gap that would cause us grief.
The precious things that I am thinking about today are probably not the most important things in life at all, but are really important to us personally.
My mother's engagement ring is very important to me. It was given to me while she was lying in hospital some months before she died. She was frightened of losing it, she said. She'd always looked after it really well, all the years of her marriage, (getting on for fifty!)  Every time she was about to dip her hands in water, off would come the ring. She never lost it because it was one of her most treasured possessions. So it was a great honour to me that day in hospital, when she asked me to wear it. I felt sad that it had come to this but I slipped it on to my right hand finger, the opposite hand and finger to my own engagement ring. It looked lovely, three diamonds of equal size in a row, side by side. I was scared to leave it off my hand, in case I lost it and for the same reason, I did not take it off when washing up. I considered it to be safer on my finger than in a jewellery box or upstairs drawer, in case we had burglars.

When my mother died, the ring became even more precious to me, so you can imagine how I felt when I glanced down at my hand one day and saw only two stones, one had gone! 
My first reaction was one of absolute horror. 
"Oh Mum," I cried out loud, "I am so sorry!" Now how was I going to find a tiny stone like that? I was upstairs at the time and vowed I would never vacuum again until it was found.
In my mind's eye, I retraced my steps. Where had I been last? I had been sitting in an armchair with a cup of tea downstairs. Surely that was too easy & as I ran down stairs, I prayed to God that I would find it.
I opened the dining room door and a tiny speck of light sparkled on the cushion of the chair, so small that it hardly showed up at all, except for the light shining through it. The stone was minute, out of its clasp.
"Thank you God," I gratefully said out loud as I ran for the cellotape and an envelope! I put the ring inside and stuck the tiny stone into the envelope with the cellotape & sealed it down.
Well I know that the stone was not gone for long, but the chances of finding such a tiny speck of a thing like that, was not at all likely and I had no idea whether it was going to be found again or not.

At my first opportunity, I went to a jewellers and explained the situation to them. It was sent away for repair and cost quite a bit of money, but it was well spent. I had the ring back.
If I'd been outside, I'm sure it would have been lost forever.
However, I can say in all sincerity, that my own mini miracle happened that day and I'm still wearing my mother's most precious possession and mine too!


This post is linked to David at authorblog on his Weekend Wanderings. He asked, What Was The Most Important Thing That I Lost. 

28 comments:

david mcmahon said...

You had my heart racing with the suspense. What a great blessing that you found it.

Akelamalu said...

Oh how wonderful that you found it, I know exactly how you felt because we posted very similar answers to David's question!

Suburbia said...

Hi Maggie, you were so lucky to find it. Sometimes little mirracles do happen. I have my grandmothers wedding ring, and having read your post I'm off to go and put it on again (I can't remember why I stopped wearing it.
Congratulations, by the way, on being post of the day on Monday.

the mother of this lot said...

Glad you found the stone Maggie!

Dusty Spider said...

Wow, what a piece of good fortune to find such a tiny jewel when you thought you'd lost it. Your Mum was probably looking after it for you. Hugs, Flick x

Maggie May said...

David ........ yes, I really didn't expect to find it.

akelamalu ......... Yes, strange that!

suburbia ........ thing is, they might not be very valuable in money terms, but sentiment is sometimes much more valuable because you can't replace a ring that was worn by a loved one.

jackie ......... yes, I was SO relieved!

Flick ....... yes, maybe she was!

Laura Jane Williams said...

You found it! How lucky for you. Somebody was obviously watching out for you...

G.I.M x

family affairs said...

That is amazing...with something so tiny it could have gone anywhere - beautiful ring btw x

Maggie May said...

Girl with the mask ......... yes, it really was unusual to find such a small thing.

family affairs .......I'm afraid the "beautiful ring" isn't a picture of the actual one, but it is a bit like that!

Craver Vii said...

We probably did not act like Gollum and talk to it, did we? No, my precious, because that would be strange. ;-)

Seriously, I'm glad you found it.

Mean Mom said...

Lucky you noticed the missing stone when you did. I once lost my wedding ring down the sink at work. Everyone had gone home, except for one other girl. She ran out and borrowed a tool from her boyfriend, who worked in a garage, and removed the pipe under the sink. I was so grateful!

Omykiss said...

Great story ... I love happy endings.

Expat mum said...

I think these things are meant to be found. My sister lost my mother's engagement ring (my mother's still alive so don't quite know why it was passed on, but still). She was getting into a car (she thinks) and drove at least twenty miles before realising she'd lost it. She insisted on going back to the car park where she thought she'd lost it, and after a long sewarch found it. Chance in a million, but meant to be.

Mignon said...

I know how sick to you tummy you must of felt when you look down and see that the gem was missing. God Bless you for finding it. The light shining on it just at the right moment. There was more then just luck, I am sure. Bless You.

Maggie May said...

craver vii ...... That was witty! Thanks for the comment.

mean mom ....... Glad you got YOUR ring back. I hope your working colleague put the pipe back otherwise I have visions of work scratching their heads wondering how a sink pipe could be dismantled overnight!

omykiss ..... yes I love stories with happy endings, not all do.

expatmum ... your story is even more incredible, I think!

mignon .......... Yes the light shining on it just at the right time..... indeed a Blessing.

Suzy said...

There are no accidents or coincidences....

i think your mom helped you find it...

Love,

Suzy

imbeingheldhostage said...

Oh, I'm like David, I was really anxious and have to admit-- tearing up by the time you found the diamond. We bought a house a few years back and the neighbors all had a story to tell us of how before she died, the woman lost her diamond somewhere out in the yard (apparently it was quite a massive diamond). My husband asked me what I would do if I found it and I didn't even hesitate, "Well, I'd get it to her daughter of course". Has nothing to do with the monetary value, does it? Beautiful post, I'm on to read more!

Maggie May said...

Suzy......... maybe! Thanks for your comment.

Imbeingheldhostage ....... many thanks for you kind comments.I think most women would hand back a diamond if some one lost one as they would realize how the loss would affect them. maybe I am mistaken.

Cath said...

Maggie that is a lovely post. Really well written. I am so glad you found the stone and straight away. It would have been a constant reminder of the loss if you had to get a replacement. Every time you looked at it.

Now every time you look, it is still the ring your mother gave you.
Thank you for sharing this. And thanks for your lovely comments at my post.

Jan said...

Close call on the lost gem. I am really glad it turned up. It would have haunted you a little for life. I can tell that family is really important to you and I think that is wonderful. Nice post Maggie.

Jan

Maggie May said...

crazy cath........... thanks for your kind comments. it would have been a reminder if I'd have lost the stone.

Jan ...... Yes, family is everything to me! Thanks for your lovely comments.

Granny Smith said...

I'm so glad you found it! I lost the diamond from my original engagement ring, but the site was a bit more rugged - the floor of our redwood forest, covered with needles and leaves of various underbrush. And I never found it, although I walked many times back and forth over the paths I had taken before missing it.

Carolyn said...

Methinks I read a little too fast... hurrying to find out if you found the stone. Did you hear my sigh of relief when I got to the end?

This reminds me of a similar experience that didn't have such a happy ending. My husband lost his wedding band less than seven months after we got married. It was never found and I was heartbroken. We ended up having a new band made using the gold from parts of my wedding band and my engagement ring, with all three rings using some new gold to complete them. Expensive, but at least some of the gold in his new ring actually attended our wedding!

ps - I think the light was your mother showing you the way...

bindhiya said...

Hi Maggie,
I was holding my breath too... what a miracle to find that tiny stone..am sure your Mom watching you from above!

Thanks for stopping by at my place!
♥ & ((hugs))
bindi

Maggie May said...

Granny smith ....... Sorry to hear that you lost your first engagement ring.

Carolyn ....... glad that you found the post caused suspense! Perhaps I should start writing thrillers!
Sorry about your husband's wedding ring, but you found a way to get another one that had survived the wedding! Good idea.

Bindi ......... thanks for dropping by and for your kind comments.

A Mother's Place is in the Wrong said...

That's a lovely story Maggie, and beautifully told. We decided to bury my Mother with her rings and gold chain, and I have regretted that decision. She never wanted to be parted from them, and it seemed the best thing at the time. Not so sure now! It would have been lovely for my Sister and I to have them really. I'm so pleased you found the stone and had the ring repaired. M xx

A Mother's Place is in the Wrong said...

BTW, have actually managed to put a link to you in my Blog!! M :)

Maggie May said...

Your story was particularly moving but sorry that you feel that you made the wrong decision about your Mum's jewellery.
We are now well & truly linked!