Recovery of the Ring

I was swimming in Priest Lake, Idaho, several years ago when my wedding ring slipped off my finger and disappeared under water and into the sand below.  Despite my tenacious attempts to recover my gold band, I could not. Dejected, I left it for lost.

Fast forward to the next summer back at Priest Lake. This time my brother, Eric, had brought a metal detector. I thought, “Hey, let’s give it a shot here, Bro.”

Searching for My Ring

So off we went to the same area where I had last seen my coveted ring a full year ago. After thoroughly combing the area with the waterproof device, Eric and I determined it wasn’t going to happen. We prepared to give up our mission empty-handed. Just then, we suddenly got a read under the sand. A fairly strong one.  I dove beneath the waves, plunged my hand into the lake bottom and dug deep. As the sand and water drained from my unclenched fist, I was absolutely astonished at what was revealed. For there in my palm it lay. My long lost wedding ring! And none the worse for wear at that.

Spontaneously I unleashed a ferocious “WHOOOOOOOOP!”  My rapturous vocal explosion reverberated with a stirring echo all up and down the south end of the vast mountain lake.

Minor Miracle

The hoard of family members and friends communing at my parent’s cabin, which stood across a channel from where my brother and I were. Certainly they had heard my dynamic outburst.  They began to gather together on the front lawn. I had shared with all of them my plans for a last-ditch attempt to recover my priceless piece of jewelry with the detector. We all knew full well how overwhelmingly slim the odds were of the hunt yielding success. This made the celebration all the more gleeful, everyone stirred by the astonishing realization that we were all witness to a genuine “minor miracle.”

The reality of this ultimately unlikely experience reached it’s pinnacle after we rocketed our row boat across the strait like it was powered by a jet engine. For it was then that I was reunited with my precious wife, Teri, who was completely consumed with a mile-wide smile, combined with tears of pure joy.

John Smistad writes from the Pacific Northwest.

© 2002 - 2024, AnswersForMe.org. All rights reserved. Click here for content usage information.