Heartwings says, “Getting engaged is a special experience.”
After nearly thirty three years of marriage, Stephen and I finally got engaged. Stephen presented me with a diamond that had been his grandmother’s, which we had set in a new setting. I am so happy to wear it next to my wedding ring on the third finger of my left hand. It looks very sparkly there. I find my eye drawn to it as I go about my day.
Being engaged means being in touch, combining energies, experiencing the give and take of relationship. While there are lots of romantic notions about “getting engaged” its true meaning has more to do with deepening within a relationship than anything else. Normally it is the prelude to a wedding–one friend did ask us if we were going to get married again. I said, “no, once was enough.”
I loved our wedding. We were married on a sunny July day beneath a huge beech tree, with family and friends around us. I remember someone asking if we were going to have a tent and I said no, God would see to it that it didn’t rain on our wedding day. Of course it didn’t. At the time, Stephen had given me an engagement ring, but not a diamond. And that was fine with me. Stephen, however had always wanted me to have a diamond.
Over and above the traditional interpretation of getting engaged, there is the importance of the diamond. The giving of a diamond is a promise of more than love, friendship and commitment, it speaks of forever. The diamond is the hardest jewel of all, it will sustain when other stones crumble. The promise is about lasting. The symbolism is about forever.
When this stone turned up among a small collection of keepsakes Stephen had from his grandmother, he was excited to have it set in a ring for me. Back when we spoke our wedding vows, we had changed the wording from “’til death do us part” to “forever and ever.” The minister said, “do you know what you are saying?” we said “yes we do.” The new ring on my finger is a bold and beautiful statement of that promise. In its sparkle is the light of our everlasting future together.
May you find joy in whatever engagements you may experience.
Blessings and Best Regards, Tasha Halpert
To read more Heartwings Love Notes, or to sign up to receive them weekly, go to http://www.heartwingslovenotes.com. To see Stephen’s paper paintings, go to www. stephenhalpert.com. For chuckles, and to read Stephen’s funny columns, go to www.funnywrite.com . If you have comments or questions, please email me.
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