My husband has always been a bit traditional. When we were younger and not yet engaged we would look at ring displays in the jewelry store. I would tell him I don’t need a diamond. There are many beautiful rings that I would love just as much without such a financial burden. I know the cost of a ring was an initially a hindrance for my husband to propose to me.
Long story short he obviously he proposed and you know the outcome (I said yes) and he did so with a diamond ring. Don’t get me wrong; I now love and cherish that ring. Not because it is a diamond, but because of what it represents.
When we were expecting our first daughter my fingers swelled and I took off the ring in fear of it getting stuck and having to be cut off. It felt weird not wearing a ring so one day out shopping I found a fake ring at a department store on clearance sale for six dollars. I put my incredibly fake shiney ring on and went about my life.
Then the compliments started rolling in. From co-workers to people at the grocery store, they all found the need to compliment my beautiful ring. I smiled and said thank you to those I didn’t know, and told those I did that it was a fake I was wearing as a stand-in until I could fit the real ones on my finger again. They couldn’t believe they couldn’t tell the difference.
I shared this information with the husband, who had insisted I needed a diamond, and we got a laugh out it. He said he didn’t regret getting me the diamond because of the tradition attached to it.
Fast forward 12 years, two kids and some stress eating and my beautiful diamond ring needs to be resized. Again, it felt weird not wearing a ring so I dug out my $6 ring from years before. I have to say that was a $6 well spent because the compliments came rolling in again!
My point is, if you can’t afford a fancy diamond ring or your partner doesn’t care about having one, save the money and skip it. There are other beautiful more cost-effective gemstones to choose from…or just get a $6 clearance ring since no one can tell the difference anyway.
—
◊♦◊
Here are more ways to become a part of The Good Men Project community:
Request to join our private Facebook Group for Writers—it’s like our virtual newsroom where you connect with editors and other writers about issues and ideas.
Click here to become a Premium Member of The Good Men Project Community. Have access to these benefits:
- Get access to an exclusive “Members Only” Group on Facebook
- Join our Social Interest Groups—weekly calls about topics of interest in today’s world
- View the website with no ads
- Get free access to classes, workshops, and exclusive events
- Be invited to an exclusive weekly “Call with the Publisher” with other Premium Members
- Commenting badge.
Are you stuck on what to write? Sign up for our Writing Prompts emails, you’ll get ideas directly from our editors every Monday and Thursday. If you already have a final draft, then click below to send your post through our submission system.
If you are already working with an editor at GMP, please be sure to name that person. If you are not currently working with a GMP editor, one will be assigned to you.
◊♦◊
Are you a first-time contributor to The Good Men Project? Submit here:
◊♦◊
Have you contributed before and have a Submittable account? Use our Quick Submit link here:
◊♦◊
Do you have previously published work that you would like to syndicate on The Good Men Project? Click here:
—
https://pixabay.com/en/hands-love-couple-together-fingers-437968/