Every Ring has it's Story.

Some are simple and sweet, some are funny or romantic.

Others can even be sad.

Mine, has a bit of everything.

History

For awhile now I have wanted to write this, although not certain what words to use. My diamond was given to my, at the time, boyfriend, by my family. My aunts and uncle and parents decided that he should have it to propose with. The ring it set on was given to my grandmother, Jackie, decades ago by my grandfather, Frank, as a 25 wedding anniversary present. This alone is significant. You see Frank and Jackie were married for a long time and at an early age. Their marriage was tumultuous yet produced 4 children. My grandmother passed away when I was just a freshman in High School so I don't have a whole lot of memory of the two of them together. Although the stories I have heard don't paint perfect. Jackie was SASSY and Frank, stubborn (two qualities they bestowed to me, lol) . I grew to have a wonderful relationship with my grandfather before he eventually passed in early 2007, the same month my family bestowed the ring to my now husband.

Funny & Romantic

I am telling you all of this so you understand why my ring means so much to me. More than any jewelry store bought one could. I couldn't tell you the size of the diamond or what clarity it is. I don't know it's monetary value because to me, the history that comes with my ring is invaluable. After Jesse (my husband) proposed (VERY much a hysterical surprise. If you watch the video you have to wait until the end, it's the best part) we went to a local Jeweler, picked out a band that suited me and had the diamond placed in it. This endeavor is significant to me for a couple of reasons.

First, the set we decided on was ridiculously similar to my own mothers wedding bands. I had picked it without realizing this similarity until I drew it for my mother to show her while waiting for it to be completed. She said "That looks an awful lot like this" holding her hand out. Sure enough, hers is yellow gold (mine is white gold) and the diamonds are a bit different but identical in shape and sizing. Second, I learned that by having the diamond taken to an actual Jeweler, (We LOVE King Jewelers in Battle Creek) as opposed to taking it to someplace they ship it out for work, was that I got to speak to the actual person working on my ring. He informed us, way down in that diamond, there was a tiny little flaw. Not that you could ever see with the naked eye.

Simple & Sweet

I LOVE my ring because of these things. Not just it's beauty but it has actual meaning to me. My family supported my marriage to Jesse and still does. That alone was solace for me. The band is like my mothers, a woman who will always give with all her heart. But a ring that belonged in a not-perfect marriage that has the tiniest of flaws seems, to me, perfect. Because, no marriage is perfect. It was an early symbol and reminder to my high standards of a "perfect" marriage that I needed to get over myself. Marriage is hard work, it has flaws, ALWAYS. It will never be perfection and that is ok. My grandparents had a rough go at life, my parents too have had their struggles. So have I. So has my husband. It's ok.

Over the years a few of the tiny diamonds in the band have fallen out and needed to be replaced. For our 10 year wedding anniversary, my husband bought me another diamond studded band to match the bottom one. None of it is perfect. Marriage, or diamonds. We have had downfalls, a figurative lost diamond if you will. We have had breakthroughs and major improvements though as well. I see this as my ring cleaning or new wedding band.

My ring is not a symbol of my marriage, it IS my marriage. Strong and steady but also fragile and needing care. 

Somewhat Sad

I am a photographer. I catch details. I take pictures of some of the most beautiful wedding rings I have ever seen. When we got married I did not see any value in the photography. I could go on at length about my wrongness here but I will spare you that lecture, for now. My point is, I never got any GOOD "ring shots" of my own for a ring that means so very much to me. So one snowy day last week I took my ring off and let it be the center of attention for a bit.

Here she sits, with decades worth of stories sealed inside her. With decades more to hold.