Christian Latina Leadership Blog

By: Margarita Garcia

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“And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.” 1 Corinthians 13:13

As we celebrated Valentine’s Day last week, I was reminded of my ring’s story. When my husband and I celebrated our 10th anniversary, he gifted me a ring. He chose a beautiful white gold ring with two stripes of diamonds perfectly lined over the top of the band. When I saw it, I immediately fell in love with it.

I wore this ring almost every day for ten years. Until one day, I noticed that it was missing a diamond. I don’t remember how or when I lost it. I was so used to wearing my ring that I would put it on my finger every morning without paying much attention to it. It was such a daily routine that I did not realize that at some point throughout those years I had stopped looking at its beauty. 

When I noticed the missing diamond, I felt differently towards my ring. I did not like it any more. I wore it a few more times, but I was so aware of the void left by that missing diamond that I despised it. I was so conscious of the empty space that it made me think others could notice it, too. It bothered me to see it because it was incomplete and imperfect. I remember feeling upset for being so used to it, that I did not even notice my precious stone was gone. 

I wanted to remember. Had I lost it at work, when I was focused on my duties? Did I lose it at home when I was spending time with my family? Or did I hit it against something harsh and did not see it falling out of its place? Maybe if I remembered, I could go back and look for it. If I found it, I could get it repaired. A jeweler could place the precious rock back in its place and make my ring whole again. But I was unsuccessful. There was no memory to trace. Unfortunately, I had ignored it and now my ring was broken, incomplete, and despised by me. 

I could still choose to get it fixed. A replacement stone would go in the empty place. It would be a different rock that perhaps would not exactly belong, but my ring would probably look stunning again. I could wear it without feeling ashamed, and if it looked imperfect it would be harder to tell. But even then, my heart would still know the diamond was not the original make. I wrestled with this thought for quite a bit until a new option came to mind: leave it as it was.  

To my surprise, I decided not to fix my ring. I realized that I did not want a replacement to cover that space because it also had so many memories and stories to tell. I realized that my ring was more than just a band. It was also a reflection of the struggles, the perseverance, and the unending love that sustained us through the years. The empty space in my ring reminded me that in marriage there will always be something to fix, fill, or work on.

Furthermore, when I look at my ring now, I also think of our hearts always longing for more. This applies to all human beings, married or not. No matter who you are, everyone experiences an emptiness that can only be satisfied by the Lord. No relationship, accomplishment, or possession can take God’s place because God is the only one meant to make us complete again through Christ. God is our firm foundation, and Jesus is the most precious rock on which we can stand.  

Today when I look at my ring, and see the empty space where that diamond should be, my eyes happily wander in gratitude as I see its splendor because what I received was a greater gift. It was God’s gift of faith, hope and love that remain no matter what (1 Cor. 13:13). This gift has been manifested in many of the wonderful things my husband and I have experienced so far, but the most beautiful one is that it has united us as one.