Lost keepsakes can't take away memories

Well, this isn't really a Halloween story. And it's not exactly trick or treat. But it did happen in October shortly before Halloween.

And it is scary.

Most of us have a few items that are keepsakes, sentimental items, or even family heirlooms.

I had some that were stolen about nine years ago. It was spooky how they disappeared, and very sad from an emotional point of view.

There many types and reasons for grief, as we all know. And one type is about items that belonged to our dear ones who have died. Or items related to other parts of our past.

Our immediate family, on the Khleif side, used to meet every October in New England for a family reunion. We did that for years. Even after Baheej died, we kept up that tradition for seven years, until the pandemic disrupted our tradition and everything changed.

One October, about 2015 or 2016, I was in New Hampshire for our reunion when a theft happened. I was staying at my usual country inn there. A beautiful place.

The day after I returned home to Illinois, I realized, my rings were gone. My mind started racing. How, when?

They weren't just any rings. Not costume jewelry. They were two family rings, my university ring, and a pretty emerald ring, my birthstone, which was a gift from my dear Baheej.

My father's ring had my grandmother's diamonds in it, my mother's ring also diamonds. But I was more saddened by the sentimental loss. I searched everywhere.

Usually when I was at home and took them off, I put them in a bowl on the dining room china cabinet. I didn't notice until after I was home a couple days. They weren't there. I called the inn in New Hampshire. They talked to the housekeepers and said I didn't leave them in the room. No one turned them in. Of course. Service people had been in the house the day after I got home. I asked, but they knew nothing. Of course.

So it was a mystery.

The bottom line is I never found the rings and never found out how they disappeared. But they were gone.

Well, what to do? Gone is gone. So it is. But sad.

Such a loss can happen many ways, a flood, a tornado, a fire. It doesn't have to be a theft. But it happens.

The point is: Things are things. Just possessions. They may mean a lot from a sentimental or even value point of view, but no one and nothing can take away our memories and feelings.

And I was able to replace my university ring and bought myself a new emerald ring. So there you go. I considered that emerald ring replacement a gift from Baheej, even though not quite as pretty. But pretty to me. Roll with the punches I say. Not the worst happening. That happens when our loved ones die.

• Susan Anderson-Khleif of Sleepy Hollow has a doctorate in family sociology from Harvard, taught at Wellesley College and is a retired Motorola executive. Contact her at sakhleif@comcast.net or see her blog longtermgrief.tumblr.com. See previous columns at www.dailyherald.com/topics/Anderson-Kleif-Susan.