Ask and Look Closer.

Empty. That’s what this ring means. Or so I thought.

My grandmother Rose and I were besties. We lunched. We shopped. She was good at slipping me twenty dollar bills. But somehow, unlike my maternal grandmother Phyllis, who dispensed family lore on demand, I didn’t manage to inherit a colorful sense of Rose’s life.

Maybe she wasn’t prone to story telling. More likely I was too young to know to ask.

Now that she’s gone, and now that I am The Heirloomist, I’m acutely aware of the empty lot in my heart where the stories of my Bubbie should live.

This is her engagement ring and I feel sad when I hold it. Then I looked closer, and rich meaning stared back.

Can you make out the bent, misshapen prong on the left side of the ring? It wore down over time because my Bubbie was left handed. I am left handed. Her great granddaughter is left handed. She literally left us the power to wield her spirit from our fingertips.

Then there’s the box. Borsheim’s is a 155 year old Omaha, NE institution where generations of my family and so many others shopped for fine jewelry—my grandmothers, mother, and my own engagement ring. Most incredibly, the family that brought us Borsheim’s also brought me my most treasured childhood friend, Nikki.

All of this is a reminder that the generations provide deep magic in surprising ways if you listen. But you must also ask.

Ask all the things now while you can. Ask your elders to talk. Teach your kids to be curious. Right it down if possible. Make art if you want. Diamond rings are wonderful but stories are the most valuable heirloom you can give.

If you’ve been thinking about making a piece of personalized one-of-a-kind modern art with The Heirloomist, please reach out with any questions or to get started. We answer every email we get. Usually, it’s me personally! We’re at theheirloomist@gmail.com. Turnaround time is usually several weeks so #ShowUsYourHeirloom

-Shana