Cathy Thornhill

photo design by Laura Moyano

Life is a circle just like a wedding ring that represents the unending love of a bride and groom. A bond that my grandpa and grandmother, shared over 100 years ago. I found that circle, that wedding ring while sorting through belongings after my mother’s death.  A small frame displaying a gold wedding ring and an antique watch were tucked away on a wall in my mother’s condo.

What should I do with my grandmother’s treasures saved by my mother?  Only the younger sister of Mother’s family remained. With death looming, my mother had requested that I contact her sister, Jean, to explain her condition. A few days later, Jean arrived from Virginia at Mother’s hospital bedside with Toni, Jean’s daughter. A visit following years of estrangement between the sisters, brought comfort to my mother who passed away a couple of days later.

As I weighed what to do with the family treasures, Mother’s sister came to mind. So, I placed the framed watch and other cherished keepsakes into a box and mailed them to Jean. I kept the wedding ring for my grandson, who had been captivated by ancestors’ stories since age two. The ring will serve as reminder of his loved great grandmother, GG, who helped care for him. 

Would Mother be pleased with my actions? Soon after the keepsakes were delivered to Virginia, letters from Toni and her father arrived saying, “You should have been here to see Mom when she pulled out the bowls from the packing material. She just held them and ran her fingers over the design. Thank you so much for giving that to her. She loves the watch that was their mom’s too. It’s the centerpiece on our living room fireplace mantle.”

Mother would have been pleased with my decision. Additionally, I treasure the ring, the unbroken circle that began with my grandparents. The circle continues to expand as Toni, her family, and mine journey through life. Our life circles have been influenced by those around us and those that came before.