The Fellowship of the Ring...

*This is Douglass*

Some time ago, I was given a ring. I should preface this with the fact that it was not Steph because the ring in question was not my wedding ring. This person will remain nameless...

Now, in case you don't know me, there is something you MUST understand about me to fully understand the story I am about to tell you. I have worked my whole life to be positive, happy, and look for the best in people. Now, I would like to think that I am pretty good at this. The problem about all this is that I am not good at forgiving people. It took me years - as in somewhere around five years - to forgive some kids from junior high. I don't mean that if you say "Hey Doug, what ya been diggin?" that I'll never speak to you again. (In case you didn't know, that also happens to be one of my least favorite things I've had someone say to me on a regular basis.) But if you really offend me, or hurt Steph, it will take quite some time for me to forgive you.

So, I found myself in eager need to forgive three people. One of them in particular, I needed to forgive as soon as possible. Without giving away who is who, the first person hurt Steph in very personal ways. One hurt multiple members of my family at the same time, and the last is the one that gave me the ring.

After a horrible fight, and a meeting at work, I found, embarrassingly, that I needed to forgive. (Yes, one of them was a meeting at work... that was a fun meeting. I love having my boss tell me - among other things - that I needed to forgive someone.) That night I laid on the bed and found the ring. I don't typically wear jewelry other than my watch and wedding ring. But I thought it might be appropriate to wear this ring as a constant reminder that I need to forgive.

Friday nights I spend at our friends Kollin and Nicole's house researching, writing, plotting, and sometimes killing things on video games. On this particular night, Kollin, Nicole, Steph, and I were watching The Mummy - The Tomb of the Dragon Emperor. I was mindlessly playing with the ring, which is part of why I limit the jewelery. I somehow managed to get the ring - that fit perfectly on my middle or index finger, onto my thumb. No, I don't know how it happened. I tried to pull the ring off discreetly under the blanket, but I quickly found that it wouldn't budge past the wrinkly part of my thumb. Now, I took physics in high-school. In my head I said to myself: Self, you should cool down both your thumb and the ring! The ring will get smaller, or thinner, which will allow it to slip off easier. So I ran outside and dumped my finger in the snow. It didn't move. I pulled and pulled and only found that my thumb swelled... Now, the ring didn't cut off the circulation or anything if I left it alone. I spent Saturday and Sunday with the ring securely fastened to my thumb. The lesson in Priesthood was about being unified and forgiving others. I hastily told everyone in the class that I had problems forgiving and told them about the ring still stuck to my finger. I told them all about how ironic it was that my "forgiveness ring" was now stuck to my finger. Most people in our ward told me how funny it was followed by advice I had already tried. I found the most common of all the things was to put my finger in soap or oil. I tried both before going to bed the previous night...

During church I had a stroke of genius. My dad has a metal saw. It's blade is very thin and removable! I figured, I can thread the saw between my finger and the ring and then cut away from the skin. So, I called my parents and asked if I could borrow the saw. They laughed about the whole situation. When they came, however, they forgot the saw. They had talked to one of their neighbors who is an ER nurse. She said to thread a piece of yarn through the ring. The piece facing toward the thumbnail is wrapped very tightly around the thumb and then the other side is unwrapped it basically screws the ring off the finger while keeping the swelling under control. It didn't work. It just caused immense pain. My dad and I snuck into the kitchen - much to Stephanie and my mother's dismay. I soaked my finger in peanut oil for a while, and my dad clung to the ring with both hands while I pulled back with all my might. All we got was more pain. One of the people I found myself in need of forgiving called. They suggested that we heat up the ring and cool down my thumb. Now, in my head I thought. That doesn't add up! The ring will get bigger in all directions which includes constricting against my thumb. I dismissed this - partly because I was angry at this person still.

Monday I got to work. Kollin - who is also my boss - came to my desk laughing heartily at the fact that the ring was still firmly attached to my thumb. Everyone at work came over to see what was going on. They all gave the same advice. Kollin gave me the same advice as the person whom I needed to forgive - heat up the ring and cool down the thumb. I told him that it won't change anything. The ring will constrict. Kollin kindly explained how I was only thinking in two dimensions. The ring will expand in all directions, which means, it will constrict, but it will also expand in all directions - so it will loosen. So, I broke down the fact that I didn't want to try this and was soon to be found in the break-room boiling water in the microwave and setting my thumb on various things in the freezer. After a while Kollin came in, along with the trainer Jen, and they started to laugh while I placed a tissue in the boiling water and wrapped it around the ring. I pulled. I pulled with everything in me. The pain was horrible... but I continued to pull. I could feel my finger going red with blood. I could hear Kollin laughing. I told him to shut up as the ring was moving. The ring popped off as it squeezed over my thumb bone. The ring shot across the break-room, clanging on the table.

After, my thumb looked as though it was broken. The sides were very bruised. The rest was red, except where the ring had gotten stuck - which was white. My thumb was also quite bigger than its usual size. Stephanie lovingly said that I needed to take an anti-inflammatory. The thumb soon looked better... sort of. Because the ring came off, I figured that I needed to forgive. It just seemed to fit. One of the people I am now able to speak with. And one I called and apologized... The third I just have to make a mental note not to kill when I see him at family functions. Now, I am awaiting forgiveness from others... But if nothing else the ring is gone. And I am, therefore, happy.