Maybe I Should Start Wearing My Fraternity Ring Again...

I ran into a fraternity brother this morning and we had a good time catching up. He lives only a few miles away, but we hardly see each other. This is mostly my fault. Every year he invites my wife and I to his annual Halloween party (I've blogged about it: HERE), and each year something comes up...something always comes up.

This isn't to say we don't want to go. This year we tried. We really tried. I owe my fraternity brother more.

Back in college we commissioned O.C. Tanner to build us a fraternity ring, and back then, I had some disposable income so I sprang for one. I used to wear it all the time. Tonight I dusted it off and tried it on. My fingers, following the example of the rest of my body, have grown wider over the past two decades. It fits, but it's a little snug.

We've all changed since college. One of my brothers posted a photo in Facebook of us at a dance. I remember all their faces, but the names have faded. It's too bad, too, because they are such good men and we had some fantastic times as members of the Delta Chi Chapter of the Sigma Gamma Chi Fraternity.

We've each taken a journey from that night. Most married and have families, though some have not. We got and lost jobs, cars, homes, pets. We pledged loyalty to each other and I'm proud to say when I met up with my brother today we greeted each other in the bonds of friendship. Maybe I should start wearing my ring again. Just as long as it doesn't turn my finger purple...