I'll just be blunt about what happened here. However, I do not want my mother of 88 years to know what was stolen.
There was a robbery in the middle of the afternoon. A break-in. A sliding glass door was shattered, the alarm went off, she rushed home, frightened. She waited for the police. She took a quick inventory of what was missing, filling out the appropriate reports and papers, answering questions. Then came the clean up of broken glass and boarding up her home so it would be secure for the night.
There was a long gold chain where she wore my father's wedding band ~ the chain held other personal trinkets, as well ~ it was gone. She didn't slip it on that morning. This image shows some of the things that I have of my father's. Even though a loved one is gone and you have all of the memories, it is nice to hold something in your hand that they once held ~ something worn smooth from time and use, something they had contact with in their everyday life.
Maybe the ring will end up in a pawn shop somewhere. Maybe someone will purchase it for their own true love. Maybe that person will wear it for another 50+ years, also. If so, the life of the ring will continue and all will not really be lost.
Electronics can be replaced. Glass can be replaced. Doors can be rebuilt. No one was hurt. But for someone to take such a personal item seems to be the most painful.
~K
