I was going to write a post about older people and their fears of marriage and what they may have to give up and or share financially if they decide to remarry, but I’ve lost all my notes, references, and statistics so I have to postpone that until I either find them or research them again. Now this puts me in an awkward place because I had already asked Tina of Luvem Or Leaveem if I could use the reply she sent me when I left a recent comment on one of her posts and add a link back to her article.

Since I don’t know when I’ll get that article together again I don’t think it’s fair to not give her that recognition because for those of you that have never visited I think you would really enjoy her blog. Tina has a relationship advice blog called Luvem Or Leavem which I always visit and she writes very interesting and thought provoking posts. Recently she wrote a  post about Rules Of Engagement and I know most people feel like the diamond is the traditional choice, but they are not the only choice. I  left the following comment:

“I personally like simple and low key. Bill played Ann Murray’s Can I Have This Dance which made me cry and then proposed. He let me pick out my own ring which being low key I chose a Ruby with diamonds on either side because I don’t care for diamonds and when I showed it to his Sister she commented, “Oh how sweet your pre-engagement ring, which hurt Bill’s feelings because he had tried to buy me a diamond and I had made him look cheap, well it was my choice. Not sure when we’ll get married though if ever. I could call it a companion ring I suppose.”

Tina’s reply:

“Dear Jude,
I just had to reply to your engagement ring comment about rubies and diamonds (especially after reading Bill’s sister’s comment).  When I was researching a while back I discovered that the circular ring is the tradition of forever, not the diamond.  The notion that “a diamond is forever” was just a campaign created by De Beers Diamonds and it worked so well that the diamond became part of the ring tradition without anyone realizing they were the victims of what is considered the greatest marketing victory of all time.  My diamond is very special to me, but I’m a colored gem stone kind of woman.  If I had chosen my own I would definitely choose color over a diamond.
I love that you’re low key.  It comes across in your writing style, and I think that is a big part of what attracts so many people to your blog.

I have never followed  rules or traditions which other people dictate are set in stone so Tina’s reply made me feel vindicated, of course I really don’t need reinforcement for my choices, but I thought it was so sweet of her to share her knowledge with me and thought I’d share it with you. Of course if Bill had decided to choose my ring himself before hand I know it would have been a diamond because he was under the impression that it had to be a diamond. I would have accepted it and loved it because I know he loves me, but thankfully he’s smart enough to let me choose for myself, even Princess Di chose a blue sapphire. Never feel like you have to be locked into only one choice decide for yourself.

Red = the heart, love, and passion

Green= faithfulness and continuity

Blue= spirituality and purity