Tuesday 2 April 2013

B is for Band of Gold

B is for Band of Gold.

It doesn't have to be gold. It doesn't have to be silver. It can be a plastic kiddie ring. It can be some foil wrapped in a ring shape. It can be some paper twizzled around your finger. Or, it could be nothing at all. After all, it's just a symbol. And often a far too expensive one at that.
Of course, it symbolises your marriage to your spouse. It symbolises your commitment to each other for the rest of your lives. It symbolises your life together in unity.
Does the symbol matter? Does it help remind you on a daily basis that you are married? Is it worth the expense, just for something to wrap around your finger to represent your unity? Is it to deter others from thinking you may be a single?  Isn't the piece of paper you signed or the words you spoke enough? Do you have to wear it? Forever?

What about that wedding? Oh my, it's that day. Almost all women dream of that day. They day you wear the white dress, and throw the bouquet over your shoulder. I've been dreaming of that day since I was about 10 years old! She thinks.
How much will it cost?? How much planning? How much work? Oh, but it will be so worth it! She thinks. And probably so. I really hope she will be married for the rest of her life. But, sadly, we know that sometimes, that doesn't happen.

It's not all rings and wedding days. It's not all about fancy dresses, fancy flowers, and fancy wedding cake. In fact, this is what starts out as your biggest concern, but then as life takes over, it becomes just some cake, just a dress and just a ring when all said and done.

Before I even had marriage on my mind, someone said to me "You know, it is who you marry which determines your life's path more than anything". For me, it rings true.

The band doesn't determine anything, it just sits on my finger and looks pretty. 

9 comments:

  1. Stephanie, the ring is a symbol of a circle of love that never ends. The important word there is Love. I lost my wedding ring in June of 1964, about a year after the ceremony. Never found it. We are still married.

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  2. Personally, I see nothing wrong with extravagance when it comes to the ring, the dress, the day. After-all, they do symbolize something which is so vast and huge and absolutely wonderful. The problem comes in when either person begins to care more about the ring, or the dress. or any material object more than the person.
    Though, I'm 25, involved in a long distance relationship relationship, so what do I know? ;]

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  3. The symbolism is the important part. As long as your marriage matches with the ring is about, you will have a great marriage... with or without the actual ring. :)

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  4. I've been married for 13 years (this coming Sept) and somehow I feel naked without my wedding band.

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  5. Great post! I've gone through four wedding bands. People are appalled. They act like I shot a puppy when I tell them that I pawned my first wedding ring. Crap. We were like twenty years old. It was the ring or some food. We chose food. haha.

    But you are so right. It's just a symbol. It's the marriage that counts and I'm still married to the same amazing guy I married at eighteen. Twenty-six years and we're doing just fine...even if I did pawn the first ring, lose the second AND the third. (bad luck!) Still, at least I don't get bored of the ring on my finger. My current one is my fave. :)

    P.S. I'm a new follower. I wanted to tell you your word-verification is on in case you didn't know. You'll get more comments if you turn it off. I forget how, but you can Google it if you want to know.

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  6. I told my hubby that he could have gotten me one of those 25cent rings you get out of a crank machine and propose and I'd squee. When we finally got married, we didn't even have a ceremony. That was mostly because neither of us wanted to plan it. But the way we went about getting married was special to us and that's all that matters.

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  7. I tend to agree with you. I've been married 30 years end of this month and I only tend to wear my wedding and engagement ring when we go out, it's a habit really. Good topic for discussion.

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  8. I don't really like jewelry, but I got my wedding ring because my wife wanted me to. It was a fairly inexpensive ring but it looks nice. I have rarely removed it in my 15 years of marriage.

    Lee
    Wrote By Rote
    An A to Z Co-host blog

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  9. As Kristen says above it is the symbolism that matter - the ring of friendship and love, commitment and there for each other in the good times and hard times.
    Looking forward to you C and D post!

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