What’s the oldest things you’re wearing today?
The oldest thing I am wearing is my mum’s wedding ring.
That ring symbolises the union between my mum and dad for 54 years.
That ring represents the Struggles they went through together to make a life in England: living in a house with several families, facing rejection at every turn, no blacks, no Irish, no dogs and the bitter cold winters.
This ring has seen the joy of motherhood and the sadness of a stillbirth.
This ring has seen a community forming around them, giving them a chance to be themselves, to speak patois, to belly laugh about stories from ‘back home’. This community allowed them to worship God with loud singing, loud music, loud worship. Most of it gave hope, self worth and acceptance.
This ring was given to me after she breathed her last breath. When I look at it I manage to remember the days before the illness (she was an incredible woman), sharp witted, master of the put down and she didn’t take any nonsense from anyone!
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