The Service Ring

When mom passed away, we discovered a number of pieces of old jewelry in her bank safe deposit box.   One piece was a gold ring with the letter “S” embossed at the top.  Since my first name starts with “S”, I picked the ring as one of my choices.  It was a handsome piece: a very thin band that had extensive hand engraving around both the sides of the “S”, and inlays of blue enamel embedded into the groves. It was obviously very old, and had been a family Italian ring that had come from the old world over 100 years ago.  I wore it for months with pride, and considered it not just an heirloom, but also a stylish piece of jewelry.  Others commented on it at times, which only increased how enamored I was with it.  One evening though, I participated in helping a woman move from her current home to her new one across town.  Part of the move involved carrying heavy buckets, medal shelving and even bricks.  She was so grateful for our help, and my heart was lightened by the opportunity to serve.  The next day though, to my horror, I discovered that my prized ring had broken and was torn clear through.  I was sad, and also a bit guilt-ridden that I hadn’t taken better care of it.  But in an ironic way, I suddenly understood that the “S” of service is the most important “S” of all.

LESSON LEARNED:   The things we accumulate in life are so shallow and fleeting.  How much more rewarding it is to just serve and love others.

FEEDBACK:  WHAT ITEMS HAVE YOU THOUGHT MEANT SO MUCH TO YOU, ONLY TO DISCOVER LATER THAT TRUE HAPPINESS COMES IN MORE SIGNIFICANT WAYS?