03/16/2022
This ♥️♥️
A couple of days ago I found myself standing near a girl who was waving a brand new engagement ring in the air. She was excitedly relaying the story of the recent proposal to a couple of friends. The sparkle of the ring caught my eye as I walked past her. It was beautiful, clearly brand new and boy, did it sparkle.
I looked down at the ring on my own hand, noticing the sparkle had dulled a bit. “I should probably have my ring cleaned,” I thought.
Sometimes after a decade or two the sparkle begins to dull a bit. Love that was once fresh and new becomes routine and familiar.
And I’ll be the first to tell you that it is SO exciting to be the girl with the new shiny ring.
But being the girl whose ring has a bit of wear and tear…well that’s a great place to be, too.
Because my ring has been in delivery rooms and funeral homes. It’s been around for sickness and health, the better and the worse, the richer and the poorer. It’s been on my hand when I have packed moving boxes and while I’ve changed diapers. It’s been part of my favorite moments and my most challenging ones. It’s been along for the ride while I’ve cooked countless meals and folded endless loads of laundry.
It doesn’t sparkle like it used to but it tells a beautiful story of life and love.
That ring on my left hand started a journey that has taken us places we never knew we’d go, given us blessings we never could have expected and changed us into people whose love has only grown deeper.
The ring may have dulled a bit over the years, but the love, the love still sparkles like it’s brand new.