The wedding ring that you wear is not your promise. It is the promise your spouse gave to you.
Your promise resides on the finger of your spouse. Your faithfulness is on your spouse’s hand.
I’ve heard that when people are flirting with the idea of having an affair, they’ll start taking their wedding ring off. Their intention, of course, is to pretend – or to appear- that they are not committed to anyone in marriage. But the ridiculous thing about a person taking the ring off of their finger is that they are actually taking their spouse’s symbol of faithfulness off! Technically, if a husband removes the wedding ring from his finger, he has actually removed the symbol of his wife’s faithfulness to him! Meanwhile, his promise still resides on his wife’s hand. The symbol of his vow of faithfulness to his wife is still with her. The promise of his to-death-do-us-part commitment is still visible on her hand. He has only succeeded in removing his wife’s symbol of marital love.
So, if I were to look down on my left hand and see that gold wedding band… I would not be looking at my vow of marriage. I’d be looking at my wife’s vow. That is the ring my wife gave me as a symbol of her faithful love to me. It is not my promise to her, it is hers to me. I wear it not as a reminder of my faithfulness, but of hers. No matter where I am, no matter what I am doing, that ring reminds me of my wife’s love and commitment to me.
My promise, my vow, my life-dedication is on her hand. In that way, no matter where she goes or what she is doing, she is reminded that I am being faithfully devoted to her.
Tomorrow is my 14th anniversary. I love what the ring on my finger represents. It encourages me, it renews me, it gives me security and hope and steadfastness. It reminds me that no matter what is happening, my wife is with me through the richer and poorer, sickness and health. The ring on my finger is my wife’s promise of love. That’s amazing.
Thanks for the comments everyone! (especially Kathy!)
I can’t say I’ve ever thought of a ring tattoo. That would be one way to keep your spouse’s promise on your finger… and swelling would never be a real problem.
And Carmen, give Russ a nice big kick in the rear for me.
Hey Carmen…how ’bout getting him a nice tattoo ring…we’re considering it as I can’t where the one Rachel gave to me because of my trade/vocation. But, as you said, we all know Russ and I wouldn’t put it past him to lose the finger his tattoo was on (I know, sick and wrong, but hey…you never know).
Sorry for highjacking this post to write to Carmen, Mr. Ken.
Hey Ken, that’s a really nice reminder, and I’m not sure I thought if it that way before, either. I know in my heart that my husband is 100% committed to me and looking at the awesome ring he put on my finger can be so much more of an encouragement now.
but….what does it mean when your husband has lost not only one but 2 wedding rings? I mean, I’m as much committed to him now as I was before he lost either of them, but still….. 🙂 haha. you know Russ….. 🙂
Happy Anniversary, you hot man, you!! Thanks for 14 years together! Can’t wait for the next 14 and beyond! I love you, Ken.
By the way, I liked this post (now your comment on the phone earlier makes more sense to me).
Love you,
me
Never thought of it that way before…very insightful and very compelling! Thanks Ken.
And congrats to you and Kathy!
Congratulations!
I lost my wedding ring on Saturday while working out in the yard.
Last night a friend stopped by my with a metal detector and found it!