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Smile When You Return the Ring

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DR. WALLACE: Todd and I have been dating for more than two years, and we both planned that someday we would become husband and wife. I am now 20, and Todd is 22. Last Christmas, Todd gave me a rather expensive ring as a gift. The ring had an emerald mounted on a 14-carat-gold base. It is beautiful, and I was thrilled to receive it. But since receiving the ring, things between us have gone cold.

Todd has accepted a job in Atlanta. I begged him not to take it, but he said that he was going to take it, and if I wanted, I could move to Atlanta, and we could live together. I told him that I wasn't going to Atlanta and that the time had come that our relationship should end.

He agreed and then shocked me by asking me to return the ring he gave me. I told him it was a gift, and I need time to think about returning or keeping it. He said that he wanted it back because the ring belonged to his mother, and he wanted to make sure his wife would eventually wear it.

It is now impossible that Todd and I will ever get married to each other. I can honestly say that at this very moment, I don't like him one bit. Now for my question: Should I keep the gift he gave me, or do you think I should return the ring to him?

If you say to return it, it doesn't mean that I will take your advice.

I'm just curious about your decision. —Kelly, Boston, Mass.

KELLY: Why would you want to keep a ring given to you by someone you don't like? Remember, every time you wear it, it will bring back unpleasant memories. Return the ring with a smile, not a frown, on your face! Returning the ring will make your future more enjoyable.

IT'S YOUR NAME, CHANGE IT

DR. WALLACE: I'm in the 11th grade and 17 years old. I don't like my first name at all and plan to have it legally changed before I graduate from high school so that my transcripts and diploma will have my new name instead of the one I despise.

My parents said they didn't care if I changed my name, but my grandmother is adamant that she will disown me if I do this. I was named Bertha, and I want it legally changed to Megan. Oh, yes, I forgot to tell you that I was named after my grandmother. —Bertha/Megan, Chicago, Ill.

BERTHA/MEGAN: Change your name legally to Megan. Grandma will be upset, but it's not her call or her life. My guess is that she'll eventually get over her pique and accept your decision.

Dr. Robert Wallace welcomes questions from readers. Although he is unable to reply to all of them individually, he will answer as many as possible in this column. Email him at rwallace@galesburg.net. To find out more about Dr. Robert Wallace and read features by other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists, visit the Creators Syndicate website at www.creators.com.

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Comments

4 Comments | Post Comment
LW1: Why bother asking this dude for advice if you're just going to ignore it if its not what you want to hear? Your petty attempt at validation was in vein. You already know what the right thing to do is and its pretty clear you have no intention of doing it. The doctor is right. May that ring bring you years of unhappiness.

LW2: Its pretty clear grandma cares more about her outdated name than your happiness. Change the name. Bertha is one of the most outdated and awful names you could have and many studies have linked names to preformance in school and confidence in general. Do yourself a huge favor and become Megan.
Comment: #1
Posted by: Chris McCoy
Thu Apr 4, 2013 9:25 AM
LW1: Hon, I get this. You feel he wronged you, and hurt you, and you want to hurt him as deeply as you were hurt.

The ring is beautiful, and expensive. My guess is you won't WANT to wear it, for the reasons Dr. Wallace suggests, but that you instead think you'll sell it. You won't like yourself very much if you do.

Really Todd isn't the bad guy here, even if it feels like it now. Sometimes two people are good, decent people -- but just wrong for each other -- and they may not find out until a few years have gone by. You sound as if you want different things out of life, and how much better it is to find that out now than after marrying each other.

I think you asked Dr. Wallace for advice because while you don't want to "lose" this last argument between you and Todd, you also don't want to be the vengeful, bitter, horrid person you will be if you keep the ring out of spite, and you're hoping Dr. Wallace offers some reasoning that lets you see yourself as the victor if you return the ring.

He gave you good advice. Don't keep the ring; don't sell it. Give it back to a person who appreciates it and values it as much for the sentimental background as for its monetary worth. You WILL be the victor then.

LW2: Change your name; keep "Bertha" or some variation of it (Berta? Beryl?) as your middle name as a peace offering to your grandmother. She was so thrilled when your parents named you for her; let her know that you are not rejecting her entirely when you change your name.
Comment: #2
Posted by: hedgehog
Thu Apr 4, 2013 10:22 AM
LW1: Return the ring and be done with it, just like what Dr. Wallace and the others BTL have said. You two weren't meant for each other, since his dreams (an out-of-town job) didn't jive with yours (keeping him in the small hick town forever, so he could be with you raising a family and you live happily ever after).

LW2: Since you say you were named after her, I'm guessing it was to honor her, not to embarrass you with some "outdated" name. (Honestly, I don't know of too many young women named Bertha myself, but still ... .)

Uh, I know a lot of people who go by their middle name or some nickname – doesn't mean that they legally change their christened first name, but they're known to everyone by that "other" name. I'd suggest that and, except for people that really need to know, you can keep your birth name a secret.

And please forgive your grandmother if she still calls you Bertha, no matter what you decide to do. She still loves you anyway ... and I do think her remark about "disowning you" is bluster.
Comment: #3
Posted by: Bobaloo
Thu Apr 4, 2013 5:18 PM
LW1: It's one thing if he bought you a ring. But it's a family heirloom that belongs in his family. It's very immoral to keep it and I don't see how the lw could wear it after this without feeling guilty.

L2: He printed this same letter, word for word, a couple months ago. Seriously. He just changed used different names.
Comment: #4
Posted by: jjmg
Thu Apr 4, 2013 8:13 PM
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