Rings

We've had rings of a sort for about ten years. 

During our first trip to Bangkok, we picked up a couple of small, simple rings with matching blue sapphire stones from Gems Gallery. And then, last year, Clyde mangled his completely out of shape while carrying a piece of heavy equipment from point A to point B.

When planning this trip, I floated the idea of going back to Gems Gallery to pick out real rings. Serious rings. You know — what most people would call wedding bands. The idea took root — in May, we'll have been together for seventeen years, after all — and we made plans to pick out rings at Gems Gallery, where our first rings were picked out all those years ago.

Earlier this week, before leaving for Chiang Rai, we stopped by to pick out a design. We've shopped rings before, so we had an idea of what we were looking for: simple, traditional gold bands, with an accent stripe of white gold. At the gallery, we quickly found a design we liked, but it wasn't stocked in our size … so we had them custom-made. 

And so, at 10:00 this morning, a sweet delivery guy from Gems Gallery came by our hotel to drop off our rings. He presented them to us in the lobby of our hotel, producing a manilla envelope with two gray ring boxes inside. He didn't want to leave until we were sure of the fit … and so, right there in the lobby, we put them on. 

I had imagined this moment many times, but never quite this way: the two of us, sitting in the lobby of the President Palace hotel, pulling on wedding bands while Bangkok's crazy-busy traffic whizzed by just outside the window. The bands fit perfectly. We signed a paper. The delivery man left.

Back up in the room, I decided I wanted to make the moment a little more memorable and romantic. In my head, you see, I had come up with a little speech: something along the lines of how much my life has changed over the last sixteen-and-a-half years, and how ever day gets better, and how Clyde is the reason my life has become this wonderful adventure. 

I had planned to say how much I appreciate all he does for me, and how thankful I am for him, and how much I love him. I meant to say that the only thing that matters to me in the whole world is spending the rest of my life with him, because spending my life with him gives my life color, and depth, and meaning.

I had pictured myself saying these things down on one knee, and asking Clyde if he would marry me. 

And then, when the moment came, this unexpected wave of emotion welled up out of nowhere. And here I was, standing in our hotel room, facing this wonderful man, with these little tokens of our dedication to each other resting in the palm of my hand. 

And at that moment, my heart opened up as wide as it ever has, and I found myself feeling more than words could say. All I could do was was give him the ring, and hold him … and cry.

Just two guys. Just two rings. Just two lives.

I'm so, so very happy today.