Heirlooms

Today, while sorting through my jewelry box to find an necklace to wear with my new jacket, I ran across a ring that I've had since the age of twelve or so. It was given to me by my step-grandmother, my grandfather's second wife, for my birthday. She asked me to not tell my grandfather that she had given it to me, because he had given it to her, but she wanted me to have it because it had originally been given to my grandmother, his first wife. I was truly touched by her consideration in passing it on to me, so that it could remain in the family.

I absent-mindedly put it on my finger while I continued to dig for the necklace and only realized I had done so while driving to work. Now I am absurdly conscious of it. It is a star sapphire, set in white gold (I think???) surrounded by six small diamond chips. I haven't put it on in ages, because it is really too big for my finger and slips around.

Tell me about an heirloom you have received from someone you loved. What is the story behind it? How did you receive it? How do you use it? Was it given to you personally or bequeathed to you after death? What does it remind you of?

Happy birthday, J.R.R. Tolkien

Happy birthday to you!