Why I Removed My Ring To Protect Our Love

When we got married, our financial situation was far from ideal. My husband worked as a fuel station attendant, and I was a pupil's teacher—not formally trained, but I managed to secure a job at a nearby school teaching kindergarten after finishing senior high. The pay was modest, just enough to make ends meet.

From the beginning, money was a concern, but we were resolute about getting married. We didn’t want to incur debt just to have a wedding. We made do with what we had and purchased only what our budget allowed. Nothing extravagant, just the essentials to say "I do."

Just two months into our marriage, I noticed that both my wedding and engagement rings were losing their shine. We couldn’t afford real gold, so we opted for inexpensive rings from the market. We were informed that they weren’t pure gold but rather a cheaper metal coated in gold color. My ring sparkled, but it wasn’t genuine gold. The seller assured us it would last a year before showing any signs of wear.

However, the seller's promises proved unreliable. After just two months, the gold color began to fade. While I expected some wear, the rate at which it deteriorated was alarming. Within five months, the gold coating was completely gone, and the ring started to rust.

I stopped wearing it while bathing and washing, but the rusting continued. Eventually, my friends and fellow teachers began to notice and question me: “What happened to your ring? Is it real gold? Why is it rusting?” One girl bluntly asked, “Why did you let your husband buy you a ‘zaminama’ ring?”

I decided I had enough. I wanted to buy a new ring with my own money, but my husband thought it wasn’t a wise investment. “Why spend so much on rings? We have rent and bills to pay. Let’s wait until we’re in a better position,” he advised.

He made a valid point, and I agreed with him.

Still, the rings looked terrible on my finger. One morning, I took them off and left them on the center table. He asked, “Why did you take them off?” I replied, “People see my ring and assume my husband can’t afford a decent one. It’s better to take it off than to advertise our financial struggles.” He didn’t respond.

I went to school every day without my ring, even walking around the neighborhood and attending church without it. Some speculated that my marriage was in trouble, but everything was fine. I reassured them, “My ring may be in bad shape, but my marriage is not.”

One evening, my husband left a folded note on the center table and asked me to open it. Inside were a new set of rings, shiny and new. He said, “These are pure because you deserve the best.” I was overjoyed but also apprehensive, fearing they might fade like the last ones. I avoided wearing them while bathing or washing. He kept reassuring me, and I began to trust him when he mentioned a warranty that would allow me to replace them if they started to fade.

A year later, the rings still look as good as new I believe in their quality now.

My husband continues to wear his old ring, which has faded to a brown color, but he still proudly wears it. I had planned to surprise him with a new ring around April, but then Covid-19 disrupted everything. With schools closed and no salary for months, I’ll save whatever I can when school reopens and buy him a ring he can be proud to wear, just like mine.

Lydia

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