This is a second marriage for both of us.
For over 20 years, I was married to “Lilith” reincarnated.
Sixteen years ago, I was completely captivated by Anita and delightfully remain so today. Being gun-shy and burned, I was vulnerable and overcautious. As a dentist, designing and casting a gold wedding ring was not too difficult. Fearful of rejection, I was reluctant to give a heavy gold ring with no strings attached to the woman I deeply loved.
So I decided to attach a string to the ring. (What could be more obvious?) Having a nutty sense of humor, I put the ring with the attached string into my right pocket, leaving an obvious length of string exposed. Sitting in the passenger seat, Anita noticed the string hanging out of my pocket. She pulled and pulled for several minutes, wondering what was attached to the string, and why. When she finally retrieved the attached ring, I told her that this ring came with strings attached. It was hers if she would agree to be my wife.
During her divorce process, she had been counseled by a magnificent rabbi, M. Robert Syme of Temple Israel in West Bloomfield, Mich. After dating for a year or so, we made an appointment to meet with Rabbi Syme. His first words were, “I have no problem with a couple arguing if it is constructive…” I interrupted by saying that we were not there because we argue and wanted to know if we were being realistic. After a few questions and a brief discussion with Anita, Rabbi Syme looked in his appointment book and said to us that “it is considered good luck to get married on a Jewish holiday.”
The closest holiday was Chanukah, Dec. 12 that year, and he was available. I told him that I had not yet proposed. “That’s OK, I’ll leave the room for a minute,” was his retort. So I got down on one knee and proposed to my wife. Later, I made the ring and the episode in the car followed.
Our youngest daughter was the ring bearer, while the other four held corners of the chuppah. The ring was handed to the rabbi by the string. We were never engaged but “stringed.”
On Dec. 12 we celebrated our 14th anniversary. God blessed us both…we still have not had an argument. And I have a wifetime guarantee.