My jewelry was stolen, taken off the hooks on the wall next to my dresser, out of a jewelry box and from a box nestled inside of my dresser drawer.

Someone knows who did this. Vashon is a small town. So I am offering a reward of $1,000 to anyone who returns the two items that are most sentimental to me: my wedding ring and my opal pendant. No questions asked. Photos are posted on VashonAll.

This heartbreaking experience has made me realize that while they are just things, jewelry is very personal, and we share family experiences through them. I bought the opal in Cooper Pedy, Australia, on an epic family adventure in 1999. Every time I wear it and touch it, I remember precious moments of that trip.

The wedding ring was the start of our family and represents the 28-year journey in between. For the first time in 28 years, I hadn’t been wearing it because I had gained weight in my fingers, and it was cutting into my skin.

I was not the only one robbed in this experience. My daughter said this to me: “I feel like I’ve been robbed, too, because that’s someone just walking away with pieces of our family history. I also got joy out of your ring. That’s how I found out about light refraction — when it caught the sunlight and made rainbows.”

Please share this. And, don’t take your jewelry for granted; it means so much more than the value of the metal and stone it is made from.

— Glenna Mileson