At age 75, I got the urge to wear a thumb ring. I think the Viking side of my family finally woke up. My maternal family name was Raynor, supposedly derived from Ragnar, the Norse king who, legend says, died at the hand of his enemies in a pit full of vipers. Spare me that gruesome end, please. Still, I can’t but wonder why this has become a thing with me lately. Have I watched too many Viking series on Netflix? They fascinate me.

I looked it up. A thumb ring actually has significance on several fronts. In ancient civilizations, thumb rings were a status symbol, denoting power, wealth or military rank, as well as offering protection for archers from the intense pressure of the bowstrings. In more recent times, it has become a sign of friendship and LGBTQ+ identities (particularly among queer women). But more generally, a thumb ring represents strength, individuality and self-confidence.

I’ve needed a good dose of all of those over the last few months. And I’ve needed something to keep myself focused on the good things: relationships, health, creativity, travel and finding some personal peace in this all-too-chaotic world. On my quest for focus, I pored through the Etsy website and found a few sterling rings that called to me. I bought one. Then I bought another. I know I’m not done yet.

Maybe my husband — noticing my new Viking trinkets — is happy that I’m finally paying some attention to the non-Italian side of my heritage. Of course, he hasn’t said a thing. Maybe keeping him quiet is one of my new superpowers.