1952

In November 1952, my father put this ring on my mother's finger, and there it stayed for 58 years. My mother faithfully wore the ring alone for over five years; she was never really the same after Dad died, and I suppose that was to be expected.

In November 1952, my mother and father pledged their love, their commitment and their life to the other. There were the early happy years, with lots of pictures of their first "baby"...Rusty. Rusty was a dachshund who transcended the role of a pet. There are pictures of Rusty when he turned six months old. There are NOT pictures of me when I turn six months old. Oh, the joys of being the "third" child (out of two human children).

There were the years of being a young family, or rather a family with young children. My parents were older parents, especially for that era. I was born in 1957 to a thirty-seven year old mom, practically unheard then, unless you were child #12. I never knew my mom was older because she seemed no different to me than my friend's parents.

There were the years of just being a family...brother and I growing up, the family traveling for Dad's work, the wonderful experiences I had because of that. I think those years eventually slid into a sort of discontent for my parents, with my mom spending the summer away one year. I remember feeling adrift that summer, the summer of 1974. Brother had left home so it was just Dad and I. I remember sort of cooking for us, I remember having a new and odd freedom, I remember feeling that my solar system was slightly out of whack.

There were the years of being empty nesters and loving up on the grandchildren. Mom and Dad seemed to bond in another way then, in a way in which I am understanding more and more. It's a fundamental sense that there comes a time in which we can not stand alone. That one will fill in the chinks of the other's failing health, the sense that one alone can no longer conquer all. It is now about numbers more than ever, with two definitely being better than one. Gone are the days of feeling powerful and wanting to take on the world with all of it's injustices, now it's about survival, baby.

Today, I placed this ring on my own left ring finger, where it will stay until passed to my own daughter. There are no words. The ring brings tears of sadness, of happiness, of completeness. I know Mom and Dad are together. I hope they are pleased.