To gift or not to gift

'At a cocktail party, one woman said to another, "Aren't you wearing your wedding ring on the wrong finger?" The other woman replied, "Yes, only because I married the wrong man." '

Recently in class, a close classmate of mine handed me his phone saying his newly acquainted girlfriend wishes to speak to me. Girlfriend," Parvinnnnn, do you think its ok if i get L(my classmate) a ring for our 1 month anniversary". Baffled by the question, I replied if its nice I don't see why not. She replied," But don't you think its too soon". Only then did it hit me, what she was really trying to ask. A ring unlike any other jewellery comes with a hidden meaning. Let me try to explain, a couple(or wedding) ring is sort of a tourniquet worn on one's finger to stop circulation. And no, I don't mean blood circulation although I'm pretty sure most men would jump in agreement. But, the circulation among the other sex. A ring is like signboard screaming "Stay back, he/she is taken". Also an unbroken circle(ring) is an age-old symbol of eternity. Everlasting love if you may(agree). A beautiful ideology though not very reliable. Long after a relationship disolves, the ring will still stay intact.

Still it wasn't the ring that proved to be a thorn in my side but the fact that a couple after being "steady" for a month can still be insecure enough to wonder if a couple ring is too soon. Before anyone who reads this post and scream of course its too early, please give me a moment to explain myself. "Steady" is a term so commonly used that is has lost its meaning. Almost every single person has a "stead" this days. Although I trully believe they have no idea of what it really means. Going "steady" means to be in a STEADY relationship. A serious relationship which by tradition should end in marriage. In a steady relationship the couple has to be very sure that this is the face they want to wake up to every morning for the rest of their lives(morning breath and all). Its a relationship in which two people have found their other half but for some reason or the other ain't engage in holy matrimony. Any couple who have not reach that stage cannot and should not be naive enough to believe they are in a steady relationship. A relationship which is still hanging on the balance or in its early stages is "rocky" at best.

But i guess," Ai gal, you wanna go rocky?". Doesn't appeal as much as, "Ai, you wanna go steady?". That and also the fact that in our Asian culture, we have yet to accept the idea of dating. Over here its ok to hold or kiss a boyfriend whom you met last week but its a sin to cuddle with a guy whom you have known and dated for months. The term steady is like shield to date and get to know a person on a more intimate level. Without this shield the accuse will seem cheap or loose. The difference between being a whore and a saint?? One word, the all powerful and all empowering tittle, "STEADY". Hypocrisy?? Guess thats for every individual to decide for themself. But till dating becomes an accepted term, I have only one thing to say," Got any gal out there wanna go steady??". :P