Birthday Celebration by Susan L.

  I had a great day yesterday with my children, grandchildren and parents. We met at my folk`s place for a bit of social time then headed out to a Chinese restaurant well known for its massive buffet. All of us were full to the brim when we left. The restaurant even provided a keepsake photo after someone let it slip it was my birthday. The waitress came over with a piece of cake, a candle to wish on, a wicker Chinese hat and got everyone to sing me happy birthday. I wasn't the only one in the restaurant subjected to this exposure. It's a huge place and there were many celebrants there.
   My children pooled their resources and gave me a family ring. It`s a simple, single band with their birthstones mounted on it plus two small, but significant, diamonds. I was more than delighted.
  Quite a while ago I had given my daughter-in-law, who works for a jeweler, my old gold: broken chains, my wedding and engagement rings (broken promises I was ready to discard) a while ago. I was looking for a ring with the Greek symbol for eternity, the figure eight. My engagement ring had two small stones imbedded in the band that had represented my step-daughter and step-son. My engagement and marriage was about more than just my ex-husband. At the time, he had two small children who needed a mom. I wanted to mount the promise diamonds on the new setting, adding a third small diamond for my son.
  She was unable to find the ring I wanted and told me the two tiny diamonds weren`t worth the labour and expense of digging them out of the band to be remounted. I was saddened by this. It wasn`t about their value so much as what they were worth to me. 
  Deciding to find an alternative, I had been looking on line at family rings. I thought that would be a good alternative. I was amazed at the number of different settings. My children must`ve read my mind. Including two new diamonds among the different birthstones of my children and grandchildren, well, it`s absolutely perfect! What a wonderful gift for my big five-oh.
  I am truly blessed by so much more than jewellery.
  `Sing praise to the Lord, you saints of His, and give thanks at the remembrance of His holy name. For His anger is but for a moment, His favor is for life; weeping may endure for a night, but joy comes in the morning.` Ps 30:4-5