DEAR ABBY: My fiance and I are being married in about a month. Some friends in another country (who don't speak English) offered to design and give us our rings as a wedding gift. They asked whether we wanted white or yellow gold, and we specified white or a combination of both -- but not yellow by itself.
Yellow gold is what my parents used to wear -- and they had a terrible relationship and an even worse divorce.
The rings arrived and they are beautiful, but they are yellow gold! I'm assuming something was lost in translation. I know a marriage isn't about the rings, but I had my heart set on wearing ones unlike my parents'.
I don't think anything can be done at this point, and I don't want to raise an objection about such a generous gift. Have you any words of wisdom to help me overcome my hang-ups and this silly feeling of disappointment? -- FEELING SHALLOW IN SUNNY CALIFORNIA
DEAR FEELING SHALLOW: Your parents had a rotten marriage, but their rings had nothing to do with it. We create our own symbols and attach meaning to them. Instead of allowing the gold rings to remind you of your parents' unhappiness, why not let them serve as a reminder of what's important in a marriage so you won't make the same mistakes they did? And if that doesn't work, consult a jeweler about having them plated.