In 1982, I lost the diamond from my engagement ring. We were on our way to Toronto with the kids to begin a train trip across Canada, and probably the diamond fell out during a restroom stop. I was devastated.

After our trip, I had the diamond replaced and the setting changed to hold the diamond more firmly. I went to a traditional jewelry store because I couldn’t find the ring’s original designer.

On Saturday, I was in that store for the first time since 1982. Surprisingly, it had the same owner. His is a fine jewelry store, the kind you don’t see in these days of on-line shopping, so I asked him how things were going. He had a lot to say.

He told me that women don’t wear pins anymore. In fact, people don’t dress up like they used to so there isn’t as much demand for fine jewelry. He said that at the national jewelry buyers’ convention, he is one of the few people not wearing jeans. The fine jewelry business is tough so he and his wife will be working every day between now and Christmas. Because their store is not in a mall, customers have to go out of their way to shop there. It isn’t easy.

On the way home, I thought about our conversation. I thought about all the other things that are different than in 1982. Year by year, things change gradually, but in retrospect, they have changed a lot.

So have we.