I stopped in for a visit with my grandmother sometime shortly before I graduated from college. At one point during our chat, she went into the file box where she kept all of her important papers and dug out the engagement ring that my grandfather had given to her back in 1930. She had worn the ring for so many years that the band had worn clean through, making it resemble the letter C rather than the typical O. We went to the local jeweler together to have the stone removed from its original setting and placed into a new setting for me. Today, we begin a new month and honor the diamond as its birthstone. Thank you, Grandma, for such a thoughtful graduation gift. It is the one token I possess that links me to both of you, and I cherish it.