I’d dreamed of the perfect proposal for months. The ring, the location, the words—all meticulously planned. When she said yes, I thought the hard part was over. Then she asked, “Can we pick a different ring?”
I was crushed. Had I misjudged her taste? Did she not like what I’d chosen? But as we talked, I realized her request wasn’t a critique of me—it was about her wanting to feel fully seen.
We spent the next week ring shopping, and what started as an awkward conversation turned into a bonding experience. We discovered a little boutique where the owner shared the history behind each piece. One ring, a vintage-inspired design with a sapphire accent, caught her eye—and mine. It was unique, just like her.
By the end, I wasn’t just giving her a ring; we were choosing it together. The hiccup in our proposal became one of our first lessons in marriage: sometimes, the best moments come from the unplanned detours.
