There is magic in moments in life if you open yourself to them. Magic in no expectations, but letting things unfold as they should. It’s like sitting with my dogs and trying to see what they see.

The Friday before our town’s first farmer’s and artisian’s  market for some reason, sitting with my friend, Cassy, I felt compelled to tell her about a ring I had gotten from my mom. It was my great grandmother’s ring. Handed down to my grandma.

I was present when my grandma handed it down to my mom. I saw what it meant to my mom. From that day forward I knew there was nothing I wanted more then to have that ring once my mom passed on.  I didn’t want anything else. Just the ring.

The ring, a reddish pink color with diamond cuts set in an antique silver delicate scroll on either side.

Sitting at a restaurant for lunch with my mom for my 35th birthday I opened a small box she handed to me. How deeply honored and touched I was as I saw the ring inside the box. She was handing the ring down to me.

I wore it on my pinky finger for many years. It is drawn into an illustration in my children’s book, Frankie the Walk ‘N Roll Dog. When I felt scared or needed encouragement, I’d touch the ring and could feel the love of my mom.

A few years ago heading back from vacation, John and I stopped at a mini-mart to use the restrooms. Two hours later, on the road, I was reclined in the passenger side of the car sleeping. All of a sudden, I sat straight up. I knew before my fingers even touched the spot on my pinky finger that the ring was gone.  My heart sunk to an empty pit in my stomach.

Returning home I called the mini mart asking if they’d go through the bathroom paper towel trash as I was sure it must have come off when drying my hands. They called back a few minutes later saying they didn’t find it.

My heart broke and I missed that ring terribly. But I finally came to somewhat of a peaceful place resigning to the fact that if someone else found it that they were maybe meant to have it. For whatever reasons.

The following day Cassy and I headed to the market.  Unbeknownst to me she was keeping her eye out for a ring that she thought may look similar. I remember her showing me a tray of rings as she told me later that she thought maybe one of the rings she thought could be it would catch my eye. But it didn’t so she put the tray back thinking, nope, that was not it.

As we neared the end of the vendors we stopped at one where a woman has a beautiful selection of vintage jewelry. I wasn’t all that interested in looking as I have enough jewelry and don’t really wear that much anymore. But then, I saw it. A ring so similar.

I picked it up, turned to Cassy and holding the ring out to her I said, “This is it, Cassy.” She knew in an instant that I meant the ring I had told her about the day before.

It was bigger than the ring my mom gifted me, but something spoke to my heart about this ring. I knew I had to have it. As I looked for the price tag, I flipped it over. It was $35.  I felt chills run down my back.

I paid for the ring and immediately put it on my middle finger. I couldn’t stop looking down at it.

Cassy and I ventured off to have lunch and we both felt the magic of that moment. Eating our lunch at the local deli I couldn’t get over how special that moment and the ring felt. It was then that I recalled about a year before losing the ring how I was feeling in turmoil as John and I filled out somewhat of a will when meeting with our financial planner.

I don’t really have anything of value to leave my nieces or nephews, but the ring my mom had given me was so special. I didn’t know who I was going to leave it to. Nothing felt right. I decided I had time to work through it.

My eyes filled with tears as I shared this with Cassy.

All of a sudden something occurred to me and I said, “You know what, Cass?”

“What?” she said.

“I now know who I will leave this ring to.”

No words then had to be spoken as she knew. She just knew.

Cassy, my dear friend, who came into my life a few short years ago. The friend who I now call my soul daughter.

Never having had children of my own, but if I had, and if I’d have had a little girl I would have named her Cassy– my all time favorite girl name.

The ring that returned in its own unique way that connected two people destined to find each other and stay connected forever.