Gigi’s Ring

Dear Readers,

A couple of years ago, my grandparents gave me one of my great grandmother, Gigi’s, rings that she used to wear. I felt honored to be given a piece of Gigi’s jewelry and wearing the ring made me feel like I was holding a piece of her with me. Gigi and I had a special relationship and we were close when I was young; she always greeted me with a warm smile, welcomed me into her home with cookies on the table, made me feel loved, and encouraged me.

Soon after my grandparents gifted me with Gigi’s ring, my friend and I went to Miami for a day trip. I left for Miami that morning and had some things on my mind, but I was excited to see my friend. As soon as I arrived, we went to the beach to swim. I remember thinking in the back of my mind that I should take off my jewelry just in case, but I didn’t want to leave my jewelry on the beach with other people around, so I kept it on.

As my friend and I swam in the water and swayed in the waves chatting, I looked down at my hand and my heart sank to the ocean floor. My fingers were bare. Gigi’s ring was missing.

I began to breathe heavily. Where did the ring go? Could I still find it? Why didn’t I take it off before swimming? When did it fall off? What are the odds? How can I get it back? My mind raced.

I quickly began diving into the water. My hands grasped the sand on the ocean floor like a crab searching for fresh snails, extremely desperate and yearning to find what I was looking for.

I dove and dove in the water, grasped and grasped the sand until my hair was filled with seaweed. No matter where I looked in the water or dug in the sand, I could not find Gigi’s ring.

In that moment, nothing else in the world mattered. It felt like I had an awakening. Every concern I had before, every distraction, every noise, and every person around me drifted from my mind the second I realized Gigi’s ring left my finger. All I wanted was the ring. Was Gigi. To feel close to her. To get back something that meant everything to me.

The irony is, once I had this realization, I felt closer to Gigi than ever. Sometimes something needs to be taken away from you to understand how much it means to you.

I felt like Gigi was somehow teaching me a lesson to focus on what matters in life. When life becomes filled with distractions, anxieties, and noise, we sometimes lose perspective on what matters most to us. It is important to gain perspective and realize what you care most about and who and what to prioritize.

Although I miss Gigi’s ring, I have comfort in knowing that it is out there somewhere in the vast sea with her warm spirit and love. While I am not wearing her ring, we now share a bond through the ocean. The sea connects us. She taught me a lesson in the water.

Gigi would want me to grasp for my dreams and the people I care about like I did the sand on the ocean floor that day. Yearning with passion, attention, and devotion.

While life can become filled with noises and distractions, never lose sight of what matters most to you. Keep perspective on what you prioritize and care about. You don’t want to have to lose something to realize how much it means to you.

Love,

Samantha