Ruby Rings - no regrets

[NotMatilda]

Come with me, my little spoonsters, and I will a tell youse my jewelly tale.

I'm not a fashion plate or clothes horse. I think earrings, jewelry, and nail polish are swell, but I rarely wear any of them, barring a commercial shoot or show where wardrobe is provided me...the exception (safe to say after 28-34 yrs.) are my two rings: my faux ruby ring and my real ruby ring. Both of these I wear always. Why?

Firstly, both are harder than heck to remove, for real...lol...but richer than that pragmatic truth is this: I love them both. They are simple, all-the-time, definitely-by-choice reminders of love and committment.

Back when the earth was still cooling and the NotMatilda was still forming, my Mom O'Mom told me she would very much like to gift me with something I really wanted...seems I was difficult to shop for, she said, because there never was anything that I really, really wanted. So, rather than get this or that, and miss the mark, she asked.

(My family fabric is rich and textured. I love them, am proud of them, and to be a part of them. My parents were two of my best friends, confidants, and advisors...even if they never heard it put that succinctly into words...but there it is. We did not, repeat...did not...agree on everything, but I would often consult with them, and always consider their words, individually and together, as the case might have been.

The Way was a major source of severe agitation for my Dad O'Dad, The Commander. Yea verily, he would not tolerate any of his kids to entertain anything else but the best of the Papal Bull works in his presence. There was no real conversating when it came to the doctrine of God via McCarthy. Lively debate, totally not profitable. LOL...lotsa stories there. To cross him there, was ground that my practicing and non-practicing catholic siblings avoided like Brian Boru in the Highlands.

The ruby dove ring represented an enemy camp, only becuz it could be obtained soul-ly thru the Way Bookstore.)

The ruby dove ring, given to me by someone who knew its value to me, was what I wanted as that gift.

What I loved about my Mom was that she could see past and beyond idiocies, often...lol...she knew the ring represented a very real, very deep, very renewed spiritual association with God and His designs...not the religion or allegiance to TWI. She knew that before me.

On the morning of my 21st birthday, a lovely note with a 80 something dollar check tucked in it was on my bedside night stand.

I wore the holy spirit ring on my left hand until I married and it was moved to the right.

My gold filigree wedding band was custom-made by a hippie artisan named Stuck (not Alan, shuddup) who is still, btw, located in southern Illinois. When my fiance and I went to see the work, he showed us a couple of the prettiest gems he had just polished up, one ruby and one sapphire.

The little ruby is bevelled onto my band, and the sapphire onto Gary's. They are lovely, still.

Holly Marie McCarthy Wilson, our signature kid, asked if she could have them. I told her "yes...but not today."

Stuff is just stuff. But sometimes stuff is precious.

X

M

Edited January 23, 2007 by NotMatilda

[Tom Strange]

that's very nice NotMatilda... thanks for sharing...

[Belle]

Beautiful! Thank you, Not Matilda.

Did you write a story back in the WayDale days about a cross? It was beautiful and I saved it to a Word Doc, but in my paranoia from my husband put a password protection on it and promptly forgot the password.

If it was you and if you still have it, I'd love to read it again. :)

[NotMatilda]

Hi Belle!

Yes, more than a few stories of mine popped up in Waydale...I may have the crucifix one somewhere. It is a true story...and I think I warehoused it to some as yet unpacked box in my garage. I've been here on Planet Ft. Myers for four years now and still there are things that may never see the light of day again...lol.

I had a disc of Matilda tales, but alas, it too has gone the way of the Nehru jacket...

If I find the one you asked about, I will holler.

X

M

[Shellon]

Tilda my friend, I miss you

[Belle]

Yippee!!!! Then it WAS you!! I LOVED reading ALL your stories! I'd love to read any of them you wish to share.

That one was especially poignant and timely for me given all the horrible things about the cross that TWI pounded into our heads. It was really healing to me at the time and I've never forgotten how I felt reading it. The first thing I did when I left TWI was look for a cross necklace. I still haven't found one I just "had to have", but haven't quit looking either. :)

So there ya go. One person you touched deeply and permanently who never told you how much your words meant to them. Glad to have the opportunity to tell you now.