Rings for My Fingers, Flip-Flops for My Toes

Dear John,

 

I had a lovely day - nothing compared to yours, but lovely for this life! I went to work for a couple of hours, getting ready for Kathy's sale and open house the next two days. Then she and I took off for Fort Wayne. She met with her client, and she and I went to Jefferson Pointe and shopped. She took me to a delightful store called Charming Charlie, and I could have stayed for two days. It's all accessories, good prices, and organized by color - which just delights my anal-retentive heart no end. I ended up getting two pairs of dressy flip-flops (on sale 2-for-1), a pair of earrings that look like jadeite (than which there is nothing lovelier), a hat (because I just love to wear hats), and 5 rings. And they were the big deal.

 

I've been looking at rings for a couple of months. And I had a problem. Part of me felt like wearing any other ring would be unfaithful to you. I can hear you snort. But my emotions can be just as illogical as anybody else's. The only rings I've ever worn are my high school ring, my engagement ring, and my wedding band. I didn't even get a college ring because I knew that I'd be putting on a wedding band a week after college graduation. I want to take my engagement ring to a jeweler and have a different stone put in, but I don't have the money for that. And I felt like I'd be cheating on you if I wore another.

 

Well, today I found a ring that got me over the hump. It's gold with a bow on top. And bows have always symbolized promises to me. (I probably got that from Miriam.) And I found another one with a heart on top, and a set of three that are smaller - pinky-size - and old-fashioned looking. The bow eased me past my emotions. So now, when I dress up in my Saturday things, I'll have rings, too!

 

You know that I had you buried with your wedding band on. I couldn't bear to take it off of you. We're still married, so you should still have it on. When we're reunited in Heaven, you'll be wearing your wedding band and I'll have on my engagement ring with a mourning stone in it. And that will be right.

 

You're really right here, aren't you? And you were there when I bought those rings today. It's funny - the more time passes, the closer I feel to you. It's not what I expected - but what has been, these last three years? I like it. What God has joined together, let not a little thing like death put asunder.

 

Yours to the end of eternity,

Joan.