As if on cue, her eyes immediately dropped to my left hand. I could see the conversation with herself in just a matter of a few seconds.
Is she married? Check.
Is her ring bigger than mine? Nope.
As her eyes came back to my face, my mind flashed back to that Monday following my engagement. I attended a small college, so I wasn't too surprised that EVERYONE seemed to know I was engaged by lunch time even though I had only told a few people. I was excited but I didn't really want to make a big deal out of it. After all, I was not in college to get my MRS degree, as so many have put it. It just so happened that the person I am meant to spend the rest of my life with was in college the same time I was.
But as I approached the dining hall that afternoon, a swarm of females huddled around me (and probably a few gay guys - haha! You have to know where I went to school). Why? Not to ask how he asked me, not to tell me congratulations... but to see the ring. And though the swarm was a little scary, knowing what their reactions were going to be was a bit scarier. The faces turned from "oh my gosh, let me see" to "oh" and "bless her heart, it's so small."
That's right. It's a small engagement ring. It's a traditional gold band with a single marquise-cut diamond, only one-fifth of a karat mind you. But you know what? It's mine, and it was given to me by the one man who gets me.
So of course seven years later, and even then, I just don't really care. What bothers me is that these girls get so wrapped up in something so, well, materialistic. The engagement and wedding rings are symbols. They are worn to show that you value a relationship that is suppose to be never ending, which is why they are circular.
After celebrating our anniversary Monday, I can really see where the idea comes from. Chris and I were talking about how on one hand, it seems like we've been together forever. But on the other hand, it seems like just yesterday we were making eyes in journalism class in high school (nerd alert). But the crazy thing is that you may not even realize when your relationship really "began," and I guess we don't know for sure when it will "end." So much like the circle, there is no set beginning and ending. It just keeps on keeping on.
I'll just be completely honest here. We spent a total of $300 on my rings (I think I'm remembering correctly) and another maybe $100 on his. But you know, that's where we came from. We had very little money. We were "living on love" to quote the great (or not-so-great) Alan Jackson. We had an inexpensive wedding that we had to pay for ourselves. My brother bought my dress, and Chris' brother paid for our honeymoon. We moved into an apartment that had a kitchen the size of a closet and smelled a little like cat pee. But that sucker only cost $385 a month. And a little Italian cheese can, a gift from Kari (shout out!), sat near our microwave in the dining room collecting my tips from working at the coffee shop. It was our "vacation fund."
I picked out this ring, well, showed Chris a picture of it. It's simple, doesn't get caught in anything too often and rarely scratches people - much like its owner. When we started talking about engagement rings and the wedding, the deal was when we had the money for it, we'd do it. And after dating for three years already, I wasn't about to wait three more years so that I could have a massive ring. Financing a piece of jewelry just wasn't an option for us, a sound financial decision I have to say.
So, if the amazing man I married doesn't get tired of me, I'll be enjoying this little ring for a long time, looking down and remembering the day he gave it to me and what he said. Maybe someday I'll have those words inscribed onto the ring.
"I always want to be with you."
