Article : 5 Reasons to skip the Diamond engagement ring

Haha…one of my friend linked this article in facebook and it just catch my eyes. Too sorry to not to share with you all :P. Absolutely this article is written by a man haha…no offense…anyway what he said here are all truth unless you have extra money and you can easily afford it, why not. If not, don’t force yourself as we can invest them in more useful things (although me myself as a girl love luxury jewelry haha) so enjoy this article…

………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

You're ready. You have the entire scene planned out in your head, every detail plotted and mapped until it's perfect. At the climax of this mini-drama, he will bend on one knee and present to you a beautiful diamond ring -- or, if you're the one proposing, you will watch as her expression changes from surprise to utter delight when she sees the ring. And that's when you'll know: Yes, you're getting married.

Or so the diamond industry would like you to believe. The sole purpose of this appealing fantasy is to drum up sales. Once you look past the mythos of the diamond engagement ring, you'll see that it's not much more than a shiny rock.  Here are five good reasons to skip the diamond engagement ring.

1. It isn't an ancient tradition -- just marketing. For all intents and purposes, "A Diamond is Forever" and the idea of a diamond engagement ring is Sprite's "Obey Your Thirst" and Nike's "Just Do It." It is Gary Dahl's "Pet Rock." De Beers controlled supply by buying up and closing down any diamond mine discovered, and they controlled demand by making it sentimental. Although the campaign is less than 70 years old, it has made the diamond engagement ring the ultimate symbol of how much the relationship, the girl, and love itself is worth.

2. Diamonds are rare! Or not. It's true, diamonds are abundant. For generations, De Beers had stockpiled most of the world's diamond supply and effectively monopolized the industry. Their dominance has weakened over the last decade, but De Beers and its competitors still control the supply of diamonds entering the market. While most gems are valued based on their rarity, diamonds are different. Their scarcity is artificial -- and so is their value.

3. Other options look just as impressive and cost much less. Moissanite looks just like a diamond; the difference is undetectable with the naked eye. In fact, moissanite is actually more brilliant. If, for whatever reason, you're stuck on the diamond ring idea, synthetic or "cultured" diamonds are the real deal. They're made in a machine that replicates the environmental forces that make diamonds. They're real diamonds, only with less flaws. A synthetic 2-carat pink diamond costs just a few thousand dollars, and a 1-carat moissanite ring is under $1000.

4. You can invest in something more meaningful/useful/fun than a piece of jewelry. Many women simply enjoy having a beautiful collection -- and that's fine (if you can afford it). For most people, though, a diamond engagement ring is fun to show off for about 30 seconds. But it's special, right? Because it marks your engagement and symbolizes your love? Remember, that's De Beers's marketing campaign talking. Three-plus months' salary would be better spent on furnishing your home, an amazing trip, or your future kids' college funds!

5. It's hard to get around the ethical issues surrounding the diamond industry. Terrorist groups use conflict/blood diamonds to finance their activities. Rebel groups use them to fuel conflict and civil wars. In these conflict zones, children are being used as soldiers. The Kimberley Process is an agreement that was established to prevent conflict diamonds from getting into the market, but the self-policing system is far from perfect. One way to fool the Kimberley Process is to smuggle and mix conflict diamonds with legally traded ones before being certified -- and you, the buyer, would be none the wiser.

Source

Sharing : Renews marriage vows on their 72 years anniversary

“May this day shine eternally in your lives.
May it add brilliance to every achievement and cast a divine light over any misfortune.
May you care for each other in all sadness.
May you give cheer to each other.
May you give vitality to each other in all undertakings.
May all that is virtuous, beautiful and honest, remain with you always”

A wish from a dying man, Vernon McAlister,to renew his wedding vows with his 72 years beloved wife, Sue. (ooo…so romantic). A simple ceremony has been held at Hospice of Upstate in Anderson Country, South Carolina, USA.

After having a dream that his wife wanted to marry him again, Mr McAlister asked the nurses to help him stay alive a few more days so they could celebrate their 72nd anniversary together.

Mr McAlister broke his hip three weeks ago and doctors expect him to live just a few more days. They married when he was 20 (now 93) and she was 15( now 87) and they first met when they worked on Vernon’s father’s farm in South Carolina.

'My father told me she would make a good wife,' he said.

'I couldn’t have imagined how right he was. She is just purely wonderful. She is a jewel.' (ooo..so sweet :)

Two years ago Sue survived a battle with stomach cancer and credits her husband's support as crucial.

Mrs McAlister said: 'He has taken care of me my whole life.'

'He has loved me and respected me and cherished me the way he said he would when I was just a young girl and he was just a young man.

'There is nothing to be nervous about when you are walking toward the person you love with your whole heart.'

Mr McAlister is a retired agronomist and the couple have five children together.

Their sons Tony, Phil, Van and Don McAlister and daughter Anita Floyd were all present at the ceremony.

'They are a testament to love,' said Floyd.

The ceremony was conducted by family friend Bill French who told the couple they were an example to the world.

'When you took those vows all those years ago no one could have known how long that walk together would be,' said Mr French.

'You have fulfilled your promise and God is smiling.'

It is very rare to see young people to do such commitment. Divorce and marriage seems like a very common things now ( I’m a young people:P, I wish to have an eternal love like they do, still hold hand in hand together on our old time :)

This story just remind me of my grandpa en grandma…they love each other as well until their last day :)

“Although death cannot tear them apart…
Perhaps they are not the stars, but rather openings in Heaven where the love of our lost ones pours through and shines down upon us to let us know they are happy…”

~another sweet love story…~

Source