RUSSIAN DENVER / HORIZON 4 Olga Zagulova, founder of Therussiannextdoor.com blog, was born in Moscow, Russia. She relocated to Colorado at the age of fifteen and has been living in USA since then. Olga graduated University of Denver with a Bachelor Degree in International Business and has held several management positions since she joined a global relocation company in 2007. She currently resides in Colorado along with her husband and daughter and successfully manages her career along with her passion for writing. I am rushing out of the stuffy underground station and right into the frigid cold darkening day on January 7th. I am shivering. The snow is everywhere, the sun has slowly gone down and the evening dooms are taking over the freezing blinks of Couples adhere to many traditions on their wedding days, including the exchange of wedding rings. Wedding rings symbolize the union of two people and their pledge to remain faithful to each other. No one is exactly sure just when the tradition of exchanging wedding rings originated, but some say it can be traced back to ancient Egypt, when the oldest recorded exchange of wedding rings was made. Reeds growing along the Nile were twisted and braided into rings and given during betrothal ceremonies. The round ring symbolized eternity, and the hole within the center meant a gateway to things unknown. Since reeds were not very durable, soon ivory, leather and bone were used to create wedding rings. As new lands were explored and territories expanded, traditions from one culture were adopted and modified by other cultures. The same is true with wedding rings. According to the Diamond Source, wedding rings were adopted by Romans and incorporated into Western wedding ceremonies. Romans’ rings were highly decorated, and some historians believe wedding rings If You Get a Chance Take It – If It Changes Your Life Let It. Her Story a sunny Christmas day. I am so nervous; I had to take a shot of cognac on my way here just to stop my hands from shaking. I am anxiously chewing gum to kill the smell of alcohol and praying that my brand new Gucci Flora perfume is strong enough to catch his attention, yet the scent is not overwhelming to push him away. What if he doesn’t recognize me in the crowd of festive pedestrians? What if we feel nothing when we meet? Gosh, even scarier, what if we feel Something? It’s been seven years and the last time I saw him I thought it was the Last Time for good. What am I doing here? I am engaged to a man I have been with for many years, I am happy, I am content with my life in the USA. Am I just casually seeing an old friend, who happens to be the love of my teenage years, or am I playing a Russian roulette with my destiny and taking a chance that could change my life? I should have worn something different. No I wore the right dress, it’s not too revealing, I also have pretty tights on, so it is a nice balance of classy and sassy. The jacket is perfect, I think. I should have taken the scarf off. Mom said I look stupid in it. No, I like my white scarf and my off-white drape jacket, the combination is so elegant and fresh. He will see me and think of a while Lily in a middle of a brutal dark winter. It just happens that I was bored to death yesterday and my mom suggested that I call one of my old friends in Moscow, since I only have a few days left to spend on this vacation before going back to New Jersey for work and wedding planning with my fianc?. I am dreading the return. This trip has been a blessing so far, I got to spend time with my family, absorb the Russian holiday spirit that is unlike any other place on Earth. What better way to finish the vacation than reconnecting with an old friend? I don’t think my mom meant for me to call Him though. He typically wakes up the kind of feelings in me that are much stronger than banal nostalgia. I don’t know why my hands dialed his number and why he picked up and how he ended up inviting me over for his birthday party and how I happened to agree without hesitation. Did I flirt on the phone or was I just happy to hear his voice? I can’t lie to myself, I flirted, but so did he! It’s very gallant of him to meet me at the metro station since it is dark outside and I haven’t been to his new apartment yet. I wonder if he did this for all of his guests. I wonder if he does it for all of his women. It is freezing, where is …? There he is, approaching me with his strong walk, puffy black jacket, skin tight jeans, a white bull terrier on a leash, and, God help me, his one of a kind, help- me-stay-on-my-feet-because- I’m weak-in-my-knees smile. Here he is, hugging me and saying something sweet with his perfect soft lips, while looking me straight in the eyes. I’m blind and deaf for a moment but I’m all smiles. I am definitely feeling Something. As we head back to his house, where all of his birthday party guests are already waiting, we are chatting away about the last few years, what we have been through, how great it is to see each other again, how much he has matured and how much I have changed. The crispy snow under our feet makes the time slow down and creates the perfect background noise. Frozen apple trees everywhere around us highlight the beauty of a Russian winter. If you are a writer or a movie director and need the perfect setting for a romantic scene, look no further, it is right there in the middle of a frigid winter, among endless snowy Moscow alleys. I am still shaking on the inside, feeling shortness of breath while my body is silently shivering. This man, unlike any other in my life, manages to get me into a zombie stage without making a single move. We are walking next to each other, our jackets occasionally stroking for a moment, but my body is exploding with energy. If we could only convert affection energy into actual energy, like they do with windmills, the planet would stay “green” for eternity. Hours pass by and my vision is becoming foggier by the moment, not from the alcohol I am sipping on but from an Wedding rings are symbolic gestures of commitment were given to represent ownership over brides instead of symbolizing love. These rings were made of iron and called “Anulus Pronubus,” or “betrothal ring.” Rings have been simplified since those days and ultimately made of many materials. Throughout history, wedding N01/<strong>830</strong> от 01.08.2016 e-mail: info@gorizont.com Simply the best rings were worn on various fingers and even both hands, whereas many married people in Western cultures now wear their wedding rings on the left hand and on the fourth finger. Romans once believed that this finger contained a vein, called the “Vena Amoris,” that ran directly to the heart. Though that is not true, the tradition has prevailed. Other legends say that, when blessing a Christian marriage, priests would bind the marriage by saying, “In the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit,” simultaneously touching the ring to the recipient’s thumb, overwhelming, heartwarming, comforting feeling of being at the right place, at the right time. While I sit next to him, inhaling his smell, our knees rubbing against each other and our hands cautiously touching under the table as if we were sixteen again, the time stops and all of my troubles vanish. There is only this moment, there is only him and I, and the rest of his family and friends who make me feel right at home. This is where I belong and all of my arguments of “it doesn’t matter what his nationality is, we belong together” that I have made to my family through the years, trying to justify my intercultural relationship with another man, seem so groundless now. I slowly enjoy every bite of the home-cooked Russian food that I have missed so much in the past seven years of dating and living with a foreigner. The TV is quietly playing a holiday concert, followed by an old classical movie, on the background. My heart is pounding while my mind is singing “Tradition” from the “Fiddler on the Roof ” movie. As I cheer to long, soul touching toasts and absorb the birthday spirit, and feel him next to me, I realize that the time has stopped and this is one of those destiny changing moments that force me to make a decision. I look up and see both arrows fight for their new spot on the clock past midnight. It’s now or never. I should call the cab before it is too late to leave. I should go home while I can. index finger and middle finger, before slipping it on the fourth finger while saying, “Amen.” Another theory on ring placement is that wedding rings are worn on the ring finger because that finger isn’t used as much as the rest of the hand, ensuring delicate ring materials won’t be damaged. Ross Simmons Jewelry states that gold is still the most popular metal choice for wedding rings, but couples are opting for some other metals that are more durable. Platinum is popular not only because it is long-wearing, but it also tends to be the most expensive. It’s also a dense metal and can feel heavy in hand. Tungsten carbide is another durable metal that has grown in popularity in recent years. These rings cannot be cut and resoldered, which means it’s important to size the rings correctly the first time. Titanium is both lightweight and durable, and it’s popular because it is hypo-allergenic, making it practical for those with allergies to other metals. Wedding rings continue to serve as symbols of a couple’s vows and union. Much like the marriage itself, they are designed to last the test of time.
RUSSIAN DENVER Colorado Russian Newspaper published in English 720-436-7613 www.gorizont.com/rd 5