Thursday, November 03, 2005
The Ring
I wear a ring on my left middle finger.
Every so often, people ask about the ring. It's funny how, back in the UK they'd just slide it subtly into conversation : what's that written on your ring? What does it mean?
In Singapore however, the ring takes on a very different meaning - eh you have girlfriend is it? Who give you?
So just for the record, it's a friendship ring.
It was given to me in the truest spirit of friendship - asking nothing in return, giving, for the sake of giving, no inneundo, no intention attached. It was just a gift, from one friend to another. An act of (agape) love.
There was a significance in the act of giving.
The events that unfolded afterwards were unfortunate; but they don't cheapen the memory of why the ring was given.
The word on the ring is the name of an order of religious knights that fought in the crusades, out of faith.
Faith is something I've always wanted to believe in, and in today's world, a fast-dying and little-appreciated virtue. As the years pass it becomes harder to practice and I find fewer things worth believing in, except for my one constant, God.
I stopped wearing the ring a few years ago when I first hooked up with the ex; I felt that it upset her a little to see me wearing a ring given to me by another girl. After we fell out, I started wearing it again for a bit, but... an unfortunate turn of events with the giver had me not wearing it again, out of sheer silliness.
These last few months I've rediscovered the value of friendship, and of friends who are worth keeping - and those who are, unfortunately not. I've learnt that some people keep friends just in case they might come in useful someday, and that perhaps placing my faith in these people... is an error. But I also remember that some friends will stay faithful friends forever... barring stupid complications like some dumb bloke telling them goodbye forever.
And this is why I wear a ring on my left middle finger.
I should be so lucky if I could find, and live my life in Faith, and love. With Truth, and courage.
Every so often, people ask about the ring. It's funny how, back in the UK they'd just slide it subtly into conversation : what's that written on your ring? What does it mean?
In Singapore however, the ring takes on a very different meaning - eh you have girlfriend is it? Who give you?
So just for the record, it's a friendship ring.
It was given to me in the truest spirit of friendship - asking nothing in return, giving, for the sake of giving, no inneundo, no intention attached. It was just a gift, from one friend to another. An act of (agape) love.
There was a significance in the act of giving.
The events that unfolded afterwards were unfortunate; but they don't cheapen the memory of why the ring was given.
The word on the ring is the name of an order of religious knights that fought in the crusades, out of faith.
Faith is something I've always wanted to believe in, and in today's world, a fast-dying and little-appreciated virtue. As the years pass it becomes harder to practice and I find fewer things worth believing in, except for my one constant, God.
I stopped wearing the ring a few years ago when I first hooked up with the ex; I felt that it upset her a little to see me wearing a ring given to me by another girl. After we fell out, I started wearing it again for a bit, but... an unfortunate turn of events with the giver had me not wearing it again, out of sheer silliness.
These last few months I've rediscovered the value of friendship, and of friends who are worth keeping - and those who are, unfortunately not. I've learnt that some people keep friends just in case they might come in useful someday, and that perhaps placing my faith in these people... is an error. But I also remember that some friends will stay faithful friends forever... barring stupid complications like some dumb bloke telling them goodbye forever.
And this is why I wear a ring on my left middle finger.
I should be so lucky if I could find, and live my life in Faith, and love. With Truth, and courage.
