Trip Down Memory Lane: A Vintage Ring

Contrary to how it looks, minimalists don’t hate things. We simply love the ability to focus on more important things in our lives and the benefits minimalism brings us.

In fact, I may even love what I’m left with a little too much. After all, everything I have left after my constant distillation are either useful or super meaningful to me. They’re like the essence of my physical life.

I was looking through my jewelry. 7 pieces old and new, each reminds me of either a family, a friend, or a moment in childhood. I don’t have fancy jewelry, but what I have delivers a hell of a trip down memory lane.

This vintage ring has to be my favorite piece because it’s beautiful and has the most significance. The stone on it is a star ruby, when the light shines directly on it, you can see a six-rayed star on it. My mom enjoys telling the story behind it.

“Your late grandma gave me the ruby,” she would begin, looking at the ring. “She bought it on a trip to Taiwan decades ago – this was before you were even born. When she returned, she brought jewelry for your aunts and I, and asked us to choose the gift we want.”

“I let your aunts choose first, and this ruby was left.” There’s always a touch of pride in her voice when she said that. The simple gesture of letting her sisters choose first was a demonstration of her restraint and lack of greed.

Mom’s always trying to be the best version of herself.

“Later on, we got your grandpa’s gold teeth and turned the gold into a ring for the star ruby.”

Yup, you read that right.

She’d go on to marvel at how hardy it is. She wore the ring all the time, even when doing the housework. Yet the ruby is still unscratched and the ring undented decades later.

One night, when I was sleeping over at my brothers (my parents live with them), she took the ring off and slipped it over my right middle finger, where it fits perfectly.

“What are you doing?” I asked stupidly.

“I’m giving it to you.”

I was touched. Mom loves that ring, it’s the only piece of jewelry I’ve seen her wear consistently since I was a little girl. But she gave it to me because she loves me and knows I would appreciate it.

The ring may not be worth much to others, but it means a lot to me. It’s a true heirloom – one that contains grandma’s loving intention, grandpa’s gold tooth, and mom’s love for me in a beautiful little package. What’s more, it’s vintage and durable, two of my favorite qualities in things.

It’ll always be one of the best gifts I’ve ever received, if not the best.

With that ring and my trusty gold rose band, I don’t need anything else, but I kept the other 5 pieces anyway, because they mean something too. We all can use things we admire and reminisce with, even for minimalists.

I hope you enjoyed this little trip down memory lane. Do you own something that holds a lot of meaning too? Let me know in the comments!