AntiPrincessForADay

I was talking to a colleague of mine and he made a comment about my engagement ring. It was after a joke that I made about him trying to slip in a compliment. I replied "you of all people know I am engaged" but I will take it. He wanted me to be assured that he knew that I wasn't available but he followed with “ you know women are the only ones wearing rings until marriage." Men don't show their “ownership” until the wedding day. First of all, I was shocked that I hadn't thought of that myself. I'm the anti princess for a day, I was quite clear I didn't want diamonds but didn't think of the “ring of ownership”. It might have taken me longer to say “yes” with that idea juggling around in my head.  

So having to go do research on this, his comment was mostly about property. Times have changed in the U.S. since women and children were thought of as property in exchange for a dowry.  However, we still keep some traditional rituals and really take them up a notch with how big is your “rock”, oh, I mean your diamond. You will be happy to know that there are trends of men wearing engagement rings, but I am sure some women will have a time convincing them to wear it before the wedding.

I don't have a traditional ring as you can imagine. Never wanted one, and it wasn't because of the latest fade that generated fears of paying for a “blood diamond”. I always thought of gold as “blood gold" when I learned some of it came from Africa and the sacrifices over it as a child.  

"Diamonds are forever" and are a “girl's best friend”. Never that girl, my mother bought me small diamonds when I became a teen. I have no idea where they are now, but I know she thought they were special, like her daughter. I knew I was special to her but I never thought of the diamonds as special. I didn't get it. It was a white stone and colorless. What was the point? When I learned it could cut glass and was one of the hardest substance on the earth, that excited me. Only long enough to see what it could cut of course, never to wear it. It didn't make sense to me wearing it.  

I digressed. I do have few small diamonds in my ring but the main stone is made of a beautifully colored piece of fossil tree resin (Note: I plan on having plenty of it at the wedding). He thought I was just being cheap, when he asked a million and one times was it really what I wanted. He put the diamonds in it of course. I told him I would only take the ring if he would admit that “HE” wanted the diamonds.  

We selected the piece together. Everyone thought we were crazy. I am sure he was saying in his head “I'm not the crazy one.” The gemstone was beautiful and custom formed to make my ring. We drew it together. That is the real reason I love my ring. It is our work of art, diamonds and all.