A Promise Ring- More Than Just A Pre-engagement Ring By Kaitlin Carruth, Fri Dec 9th
When
one thinks of a promise ring it is common to think of asmall, inexpensive ring given to a woman as a promise ofmarriage in the future; however, this is not always the case. Apromise ring has several other purposes besides being apre-engagement ring. A promise ring can be given or used for anysign of commitment. The following are some other common uses fora promise ring.
A Non-Romantic Promise Between Friends A promise ring can be given as a sign of a promise between twofriends. Such a ring can be given to a special friend, to afriend who is moving far away, or even to a friend who you willnot see for awhile. A friendship promise ring is very commonwith young girls who get matching rings that say "best friendsforever." A promise ring between two friends is a way of showingthat a certain friendship is something very special to you. A Promise of To Be Chaste Also called a purity ring, this type of promise ring is worn asa reminder to be chaste. This can be given by a boyfriend or agirlfriend but is also frequently given by parents to a child.It is meant to keep one sexually pure until true love andmarriage is found. This type of promise ring is a constantreminder to the wearer to remain abstinent until marriage. A Promise of Substance Abstinence A promise ring can also be used by those who are looking to stayfree from alcohol or other harmful substances. This ring can begiven to oneself or by someone else as a constant reminder tostay free from drugs and other substances that are harmful tothe body. A Promise to Remain Free of an Addiction While a promise ring can be a promise to remain free from a drugaddiction, it can also be a promise to remain free from otheradditions as well. This would include
addictions such asgambling or pornography. It can also be a promise not to take anactivity into access such as eating or even video games.A Promise of Monogamy When a couple does not to get civilly married they often wearpromise rings as a symbol of their commitment to each other.These promise rings have a very strong meaning to the couple andis a way of them expressing their desire to be joined with thatperson forever. A Promise of Silence In ancient times, a ring would be given as a symbol of silence.It was used as a remembrance of the importance of keeping aparticular secret. On occasion, a curse was engraved on theinside of what would occur if the secret was revealed. A Promise of Spiritual Commitment In the days of old it was common for prominent church leaders towear a ring as a symbol of their commitment to the church. Eventoday many faiths wear rings as a reminder of their spiritualcommitment.
A promise ring is not limited for the use of a pre-engagementring,
but can represent a promise between non-romantic friends,a promise
to be chaste, a promise of substance abstinence, apromise to remain
free from an addiction, a promise of monogamy,silence, spiritual
commitment, and much more. One should notkeep such a limited view
of the promise ring as just being apre-engagement ring, but see the
potential of its other purposesas well. As seen, a promise can symbolize
any promise that ismade between to individuals or even a promise
made to oneself. Apromise ring is simply a physical sign of a commitment.
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