The Pearl Ring
When I was a young girl of 13, I eye-spied an airtight tin can sitting on a shallow shelf, near the kitchen sink. It sat there for many years, forgotten and gathering dust, but settled near good company among ceramic statues of Mother Mary, Praying Hands and a chipped-earred white bunny.
At two years old, I was too young to remember our family’s first vacation trip to Florida in 1961. My parents visited a popular tourist attraction, and Mother purchased, for ten cents, a small can from a fishery with seemingly opaque sides, barely enough to see through, containing a mussel with the promise of a pearl hidden inside.
Years passed, and teenage curiosity pique new interests. I noticed this odd container, plucked it off the shelf, shook it gently until the murky seawater clouded the object, and only a hint of the mollusk remained visible. With permission, and trusty can opener in hand, I anxiously punctured through the lid with the cutting edge, unlocking its treasure. What came next was a jolt to my senses. Instantly permeating the air was the most malodorous, putrid, foul fishy tang emanating from the stale waters, nearly ceasing all proclivity to continue. I pressed on, shucking the odiferous mollusk. To my astonishment, deep inside the black gook and slime was the most beautiful white, round and brilliant pearl staring back at me!
It was, in fact, the excitement of discovery that seemed most important at the time. School life and ballet classes pressed on, the year unfolded without fanfare, and I seemed to have forgotten about the sweetness of this little pearl. As 8th grade graduation neared, my parents surprised me with a gift greater than any child could imagine; this special pearl mounted on a gold ring.
It has been 47 years since that day, and my ring has become an integral part of my personal history spanning every important life event I have experienced. Mom is now 100 years old, and I asked if she recalled where my ring came from. She, too, had forgotten the pearl. In that moment, I had the honor of recounting our story together, inviting her back in time sharing a lifetime of memories she helped to create.
If you have a daughter or granddaughter, you may wish to do the same. Your pearl will travel with your loved one through their lifetime milestones, will always be remembered and forever held close to their heart.
