"If the ring fits, wear it"

January 12, 2011

You know the expression “If the shoe fits, wear it”?

Today’s Bit of Advice is……

“If the ring fits, wear it”

I own a large jewelry armoire that is about 97% full.  The lovely new pieces of jewelry I received for Christmas as still sitting in boxes on top of the armoire because I don’t have spots for them.  In fact, the jewelry I got for my birthday last summer and for Christmas in 2009 is still in boxes on top of the armoire too.  As I was putting away the jewelry I wore to work today I started looking through some of the pieces I own and thinking about where they came from, how long I have owned then, and any associated memories.  I have pieces that range from very new to my First Communion cross necklaces.  Some of the pieces I purchased for myself, some were gifts from my husband, and some were given to me by others.  It is a rare piece that I do not remember from whom it was given.  In addition to the pieces given to me as gifts I also own quite a few pieces of jewelry that belonged to family including my mother,  grandmother, and three great aunts.

But the problem is that I don’t wear 93% of my jewelry.  I have my favorite pieces that I wear regularly and I throw in another piece once in a while to add excitement.   I think I forget that I have many of the others pieces and they never get worn.

My focus tonight was on the ring drawer where I found about 20 rings.  A pearl ring given to me by my parents when I was a senior in high school.  A ring with a single sapphire and two small diamonds given by my husband when we were dating.  An adjustable silver ring shaped like coleus leaves that belonged to my mother.  A few Irish Claddagh rings and some fun, funky fashion bands.  Of course I keep a spot there for my wedding band and engagement ring that I take off every night while I sleep.

Twenty rings for ten fingers.  I’m not one of those girls who wears a ring on every finger at the same time, though, so the most I’d ever wear at once would probably be three.  Twenty rings for three fingers.  Except that I wear my wedding ring and engagement ring together on the same finger so it’s more like twenty rings for two fingers.  And here’s the kicker….. I have some type of medical condition (that I call BFH – you’ll see why) that caused my left hand to swell about a year and a half ago.  The doctors don’t know why it happened, what to call it, or how to fix it.  The only recommendation they had was to prevent any restriction to my wrist and fingers on that hand.  Thus, I no longer wear a watch or any rings on my left hand.  So I guess I own twenty rings for one finger on one hand – the finger that wears the wedding rings.  I’m sure you sense the problem here.  Oh, and the BFH diagnosis?  Big Fat Hand.  J

I decided that it was time to do something about this overabundance of lovely rings.  I tried them all on, remembered the special person who gave each ring or special times when it was worn, and then decided if it was really important enough to keep.  In the end, I found seven rings that no longer fit any of my fingers and four that have no emotional value to me.  I put a few of the nicer ones aside to share with good friends with skinny fingers.  The rest will go in my mother’s annual Free Sale next summer.  I’m sure someone will be thrilled to get some free jewelry!

Back to today’s advice.  “If the ring fits, wear it”.  There are three parts to this advice.

1.        If you own beautiful rings that fit your fingers, wear them.  Necklaces, bracelets, earrings, too. Don’t let 93% of your jewelry sit in a box waiting for its turn to shine.  Mix it up, try out new combinations, take a chance, walk on the wild side.  The same applies to wedding crystal, linen tablecloths, and silver serving pieces.  Life is too short to keep our good things for someday.  Use them now.  Use them frequently.  Enjoy them regularly.

2.       If it’s the wrong size, get rid of it.  You don’t have to throw it out but get it out of your house.  Same goes for the wrong style, wrong era, wrong color.  Out it goes.  How about items that carry old and negative memories?  Memories you’d rather not keep.  Good-bye.  Furntiture, knick-knacks, photos you inherited from Aunt Martha?  Unless you love it and use it, it must go.  Today.  We clutter our lives emotionally with our stuff.  Make room for new things that make you look and feel good by removing the old.

3.       As you remove the excess from your life, find ways to bless others.  Our family uses the Free Sale concept where everything is put out on tables on the front lawn with a large sign that says FREE.  There is no better way to move things along than to put them out for free.  No need to make change or haggle for a good price like at a garage sale.  I also believe in blessing others through organizations like the Salvation Army, Goodwill, local rescue missions, etc.  Bless others so that you in turn will be blessed.

I already feel a bit lighter looking at the ring drawer with all its new found space.  The rings that no longer fit my BFH don’t stare at me as a sad reminder anymore.  The friends who get the special rings will look so lovely in them, I’m sure.  If the ring fits, wear it.  If not, you know what to do.

Hope you enjoyed the read.