The Senior Ring

I took my niece, whom I refer to as Princess out shopping for a special occasion dress. She will have a ring ceremony this month. I never even heard of such a thing. When I was in Junior High School we just got our senior rings in our home room class. But heavens no now there has to be a whole entire ceremony dedicated to a ring that would more than likely turn black in a year or two.

You should’ve seen her though. She was all smiles and her eyes twinkled so brightly. She was giddy and excited. In her I saw how I always wanted to be. In her I saw dreams, hopes and excitement about life. I saw someone who yet has learned the hardship of life, who life still seems to smile upon. I saw a future of the unknown and I wanted just to reach out and hold her and protect her from all harm. I have no children of my own but this little girl, whom I dressed up as a patient just so I can spend more time with her when my sister gave birth, this little girl who I use to babysit and change her pampers, this little girl that I would spend almost an hour taking her to “the rides” in a department store, is the same little girl who is so close to my heart she is like my own.

I went back home afterward and opened up my jewelry box and grabbed in my hands a ring that is more than 17 years old. I turned it over and over in my hands. Put it on, took it off and visited my Junior High School years in my mind. My life was so carefree then. Where have the years gone? I remember old friends, running down the hallway that was paved with blackened tiles. I remember my classmates and teachers; some I loved and some I disliked. I remember hanging out in stair cases and taking extra long trips to the bathroom during "boring" classes.

All these memories flooded my thoughts and brought a smile to my face. Most importantly I remembered how truly simple life was back then. How lovely it was to only have school as a responsibility, to have the entire Summer's off.

I stopped wearing that ring after my first year in High School and now it has only become a symbolism of things past. It has become the once was and the yesteryears. It has become something I will always treasure.

I hope this for my Princess too. I hope that she can look back on her life and not have any regrets. That she to can smile and laugh at all the little silly things that ocurred, all the fond moments, friendships and love. I hope she can be proud of the person she has become and the woman she will be.

Above all I wish for her true friendships, love, peace, happiness and sucess.