DIAMONDS

Susan grew up during the depression. She remembered food rationing and that the best material her mother had to sew her clothes, came from flour sacks.

One of her favorite toys was a train that her mother made from stringing sardine cans together. She would put flowers in each can and sing while pulling her homemade toy.

At the age of 18, she left the ethnic neighborhood that she grew up in with $5.00 in her pocket and one suitcase. Everything that she possessed fit in that one suitcase. She was leaving this coal mining area and had the lofty vision of earning a college degree.

The percentage of women graduating from college in those days was very small. She worked in order to pay her college expenses AND she laughed and danced and studied and only saw the beauty and promise of life.

The coal mines were behind her.

One friday night at a college dance, she was dancing the jitter-bug when her partner spun her around.................across the dark auditorium, in a split second, her eyes locked with an extremely handsome young man. At that moment, no one else was in that huge area except them.

When the dance ended, he was right there to ask her to dance. And they danced the night away.

He wanted to marry while they were still in college and would not take no for an answer. No money, but the total belief that they would achieve the American dream and they did...............beyond their wildest dreams.

There was no diamond ring. They exchanged simple gold wedding bands.

Fast forward.............They were a team and together they accomplished much. The money was there to purchase a large diamond but Susan was content with her gold wedding band.

She had gained weight and needed to have her simple gold band re sized. While it was being re sized, they saw a beautiful zirconium wedding set that cost $25.00 at a flea market. He purchased this for Susan to wear until her gold band was ready. He wanted to purchase a real diamond set for her at this time but she wanted to continue to wear the ring that he placed on her finger in Church on their wedding day.

They were at a social function and some of the women in attendance were comparing their large diamonds. All in the group were on their second marriages except Susan. Susan was called over and asked to show her diamond rings. She laughed and said that the rings on her finger were not real diamonds, then she pointed to her husband and said, "HE IS MY DIAMOND"

Without hesitation, the other women said, "YOU HAVE THE BEST DIAMOND OF ALL"

Susan continued to wear her simple gold wedding band. It was all she wanted. and she KNEW that she had THE BEST DIAMOND OF ALL.