The excitement of choosing a ring that represents who you are in high school, is something we look forward to.  Who am I, what do I want to do with my life? I chose my ring with help from two people.  Two who are no longer here, two that I promised I would do something with the artistic creativity that I had and one that I enjoyed.  My grandmother, was always supportive of me, she would always tell me how great of an artist I was.  Drawing and painting came easy, it was a natural ability that I had, and I did a lot of projects for friends and family when something needed a touch up.  For awhile, I found a small hobby of painting mailboxes and sold them at garage sales or took requests for specific designs or animals for people my grandmother or parents knew.  I had that ability, I no longer have it, though I long for it.  I dream of being able to paint or draw the way I used to, but thanks to not being able to hold a pen or paintbrush correctly, not being able to feel in in my hands, it took away that desire of my artistic endeavor.  So you turn to other creations, as I have taken to photography and writing.

My father, he also pushed me to go forth with my art.  In school my art teacher pulled me into elements I was not used to but I strayed away from it, because it made me feel uncomfortable.  I pushed away school and all it offered me, because I didn’t associate myself with many, the many who often made me feel like shit.  I was given the chance to go onto an art school in New York City.  But my self esteem ruined by bullies in school, kept me from going. My father, said if I wanted to go, he would send me and my Gram was telling me that I needed to go….I never went.

Instead, I hit the job force, and 9 years later, I ended up in Florida and the story of my class ring takes a turn to being an object of people’s fascination.  It was worth money to many, it was taken from me once to be apprasied.  My initial $400 ring that my parents bought was worth a little bit more…it was worth more than that to me.  I got it back.  And it was still sought out like the Precious in The Lord of The Rings. I fought them from taking it, I severed ties with them and then in 1997, after a night out on the town, I was involved in a fist fight with some drunk chick, after punching her in the nose, busting it open, and cops called, I made my gettaway back to my friend’s house I was staying at, put my ring on the tail of the cat ring holder I had next to my bed and nursed my sore knuckle, went to bed. 2 days later, my ring was gone and so was someone who was staying also at the house, a friend of a family, who were nothing but trouble for me in a total of 4 years.

I lost it.  My ring was gone. My at one point in life a promise ring to do some artistic creativity, to make a name for myself.  Gone.  Someone told me it’s just a ring, why are you upset about a piece of silver.  Because it had a meaning, it was mine.

Years go by, in those years a few later, my father passed away.  I was in Florida trying my hardest to get back home, but it was too late.  When I came home, I ran into that someone who I felt stole my ring, and she didn’t deny it.  She didn’t have it anymore. I figured they needed money and pawned it.  7 years later, I lost my grandmother, I had just moved back to New York and was looking forward to spending time missed with her, but it was such a short amount of time, she was ill and I spent our last moments together, telling her how much I loved her, how much she taught me, and told her that I was sorry I didn’t go to Art School. She was holding on but she needed to rest and I told her that she go rest and that she was the best grandmother ever.  I kissed her cheek and left the room, not too long after she passed away.

I always wondered where my ring was, and was even considering buying another one, but it wouldn’t have been the same, it wouldn’t have the same meaning.

Then on Sunday night, I get this message from Jeffrey Hewitte, who lives in Melbourne, FL

 

When I found his address and phone number, I texted him, and asked for a photo of the ring that was found, getting excited.  He sent me this:

 

It was mine.

I sent him my mailing address and he told me that he will mail it out on Monday, and I thanked him and he said he was glad to help.  To Pay It Forward!!!

I got my ring today.  He shipped it Priority Mail 1 Day.

I just texted him, that I received it and to express my thanks once again.

It’s a big snug, thanks to a few broken bones over the years, but I will probably not wear it and will keep it some place safe.   I still can’t believe after 19 years I got it back.  Funny how it ended up where it did.  Thank You Jeffrey…I will  Pay It Forward!!!