Inheritance

I named my daughter Johanna after my Grandma Brower. She was always known as Joan, but was born as Johanna. Grandma Brower seemed to be very happy about this name sake and said that when she died, her wedding ring would go to baby Johanna (who is now 6!) About 18 months ago, my grandma did die. She was 98 years old. The wedding ring was given to me that day and I stored it in my safe.

I have always loved that ring. It is a beautiful gold band with a delicate design. She would always tell us the story about how when they were married, there was no money for a ring. Years later, her husband came home with a box from a jewelry store containing a dozen rings and Grandma was able to pick one. (She always pointed out that back then you could just take 12 rings home from a store and they trusted you to bring them back!)

Back to the present now... I realized that my Johanna would not have this ring for at least 15 years, and why let it sit in a safe for that long. I talked to my dad who thought it would be fine if I wore it. Well, yesterday I got it back from the jewelers, sized and clean. I slid it on my finger and it just was not right. As I fiddled with it and started at it through the day I realized it was not the ring that was so important, it was the hand it was on.

I picked the name Johanna for a reason, I wanted to name my daughter after someone inspiring. I loved that ring for a reason too. It is beautiful, but it represents a person who is inspiring to me. Faithful, generous, kind, loving, hard working and bold. A woman who found good in every situation and rose above many trials. She was a woman of the 90's who grew up in the 30's. I hope when I look down at this ring, I can see her beauty shining through and strive own the qualities in her that I love so much. I also hope that my daughter will see these qualities in me so, when the ring is passed down, she will be proud to wear it too.