Forever

Recently I bought myself an eternity ring, a ring with round cut diamonds set in prongs all around a white gold band. An eternity ring is supposed to be an anniversary ring, given by a significant other, but I decided to break the rules and purchase one for myself, without having to wait for an anniversary. A girl should be able to buy diamonds any day she wants.

Here it is, my eternity ring, in a photo taken by my friend and officemate Ricky Pineda.


It has a total of about 1.20 carats, spread across twenty plus diamonds, encircling the middle finger of my left hand.

Diamonds, as the De Beers ad has been saying for ages, are forever. They are formed deep beneath the earth's surface, out of pure carbon that has been placed under pressure and intense heat for millions of years, creating gems that can cut just about anything. However, a diamond gains beauty only when it is cut by an expert, so that a round cut diamond's facets will show glimmering hearts in a circle when viewed from underneath, and arrows when viewed from above. It looks fragile, but it isn't. And deep in its depths, one can see one's fate. Hearts and arrows. Cutting and cleaving. Such are the surprising coincidences that mark this chaotic universe.

And such are the symbols that help us cope.

Now here’s my own pledge to myself, as I give myself this ring. I pledge to forever surround myself with beautiful things, and to find beauty in as many things as I can. I pledge to keep myself from hurt, and to not cause hurt in others. I pledge to treat myself well and to always be faithful to the things I hold true. And I promise to keep believing in love, and that it never destroys, only saves, beyond sickness and health, beyond life and death.