ruby red is my color or is it?

There is nothing more exciting than that feeling you feel when your Nana passes down the gorgeous, gigantic, grand, ruby red earrings you have been longing for… no make that coveting, since, well, I can’t even remember a time I haven’t wanted them. My Great Grandmother had passed them down to my Nana and now she has bestowed them to me. Finally, the day has come they are mine! Finally, I get to wear them and flaunt them for all to see. Finally, finally, finally!

Since they are now my most treasured possession, they must be stored in an extremely special place. It is fitting that I store them in a special silk pouch, placed in a special box, that’s in a very special place, so no one can access them without me knowing. It almost seems unreal, that the most treasured earrings I have ever laid my eyes on, are finally mine for all time. I have dreamed for so long of wearing them in my ears and the anticipation of how they will feel is almost too overwhelming.

I reminisce about all the romantic places that my Great Grandma visited in the world. In every new and exotic destination, she would buy herself beautiful and elaborate trinkets, the last more spectacular than the previous. Lord knows Grandma Susan loved to shower herself with beautiful things. The truth is, she never bought for anyone else, but maybe that is what makes these earrings even more extraordinary. I remember the story of her traveling to Mexico City on a business trip with her husband Lou. Strolling the cobblestone streets one evening, they stumbled upon a quaint jewelry shop. There in the window were the ruby red earrings. Oh, how she too loved them at first sight. Without hesitation, Great Grandma Susan rushed into the store and purchased them on the spot. Ruby red was her color!

Having these earrings makes me feel so valued and loved. I know how much my Great Grandma and my Nana cherished these earrings. Then the day came when I took them to my most trusted jeweler Jackie Read to be cleaned and valued, and he proclaimed, “The rubies are fake, but at least the gold is real.” Wow, was I stunned and even a bit disappointed. But as I sat there mulling over what he had just told me, I realized something. Had they been real, the earrings would have been worth about $300, 000. If I am being truthful, I’m certain I would have considered selling them! But I didn’t cherish these earrings because of their monetary value; rather, I cherished their story and the lives they touched. Of course, I called Nana and informed her that what she had been guarding with her life were fake ruby red earrings! My Nana was unfazed by this revelation. She simply stated to me how happy she was to hear the gold was 100% real! I love how my Nana always considers the positive in situations and brings fresh perspective to challenging circumstances.

Does it really matter that they are fake?
Does it matter that they are real?
Does it matter that they were bought with excitement and each person that they were passed down to had the same excitement to receive them?

When I really think about what I value and how I value things, all of these questions are easily answered.

I loved the bond I felt with my Great Grandma Susan and Nana, beyond any monetary value of these ruby red earrings. The value is the strength of our relationship, which is more real than any tangible item, even when gifts of things we can hold onto remind us of our connections and love.

Now that I know Great Grandma Susan’s secret, I keep these earrings out, and every morning I see them and smile. It warms my heart to know that someday, I too will be a part of passing down a wonderful legacy. I want my legacy to reflect the love that I pour in to my family and friends and the friends I haven’t even met yet. Ruby red was not just Great Grandma Susan’s color, but it is mine too.

Happy Valentine Love ya LO