Getting Engaged

I haven't blogged about anything directly personal in a while, though my thoughts are as personal as it gets.

I got engaged a few months back to a wonderful man. We both want a wedding, and a life, that reflects our ethic. For starters my engagement ring - that item of envy and girlish giggles - is 100% conflict free. It belonged to his grandmother AND it is a pearl. Not only is it crafted in such amazing detail - unlike some of the more ubiquitous designs of today but by not getting a diamond, even an ethical diamond mined in Canada, we helped by not contributing to the market for diamonds with our demand for them.

If the argument about blood diamonds, or other minerals mined to finance conflict in a far off land, isn't convincing then maybe the fact that diamonds are not all that rare will do the trick. The market for diamonds was created by De Beers by artificially restricting the flow of diamonds and manipulating the market to drive up price.

So if you are contemplating getting engaged, or hinting at a ring for your sweetheart consider an antique ring (where no new metals were mined) or something unique like pearl.