Public Displays of Love...

Hey peeps! I wasn't sure what I was going to write about today, but when I opened up my email and *poof* a topic was right there....YAY!

Let me provide some background, so that we'll all be on the same page. I'm a member of a co-ed service fraternity. My boyfriend pledged at a different chapter, but is also member of this fraternity (and a social fraternity), and we have other friends that are dating that are also members. I say all this to say it is not uncommon for Brothers (males and females of the fraternity are called brothers) to date one another. Quite often Brothers from the same chapters will date....we do spend A LOT of time together, so it's bound to happen. However, my boyfriend is from a different chapter. Anyway, as a member of a Greek Letter Organization (GLO) many members opt to get paraphernalia to show the pride they have in their organization. I have 2 jackets that I love and that represent me. I have several shirts and a key chain also. My boyfriend and I have pictures that have been photo-shopped and I want to get a paddle together. Items like jackets and shirts are mostly personalized with information pertaining to the person wearing. Items like key chains, paddles, license plates, and house mats are sometimes split to represent two people dating.

Okay, soooo here's the story--I know a couple (that I LOVE very much) in the process of purchasing a fraternity jacket representing both of them...which they plan to share! Though the jacket is very nice in a design sense I personally would not make this choice in my relationship....or for my pocket. I mean obviously people have a right to do whatever it is they want, but my initial thought was, "Who gets the jacket if they break up?"This led me to thinking about people who get their bf/gf name's tattooed on them. It's is something seen all the time with celebrities...and us regular folk alike. And no a jacket isn't permanent like a tattoo, but I just think there many ways to express the love you have for a person that don't involve spending unnecessary amounts of money or getting things that are basically permanent. If a break up happens then the same feeling of regret is there.

I'm sure we've all heard the "myth" of how it is bad luck to get someone's name tattooed on you. And though I put myth in quotes I have seen it proven true...on several occasions. I'm sure there are plenty of instances of couples that don't break up after being tattooed. And yes, I have even thought about getting my boyfriend's name tattooed on me (and him getting mine on him), but this is something we'd do once we were married, and it's more likely to be a symbol that represents our union (so if we break up we can lie to people about what it means...LOL!) BUT it is still VERY risky decision. And a decisions that would come after years of being together.

My grandparents love each other more than any other couple I know and they don't have each other's names tattooed on them. Does that mean that Jane and John (or Tyrone and Tameka...lol) love each other more than my grandparents love each because Jane and John get tattoos? Absolutely not. I know my grandfather loves my grandmother because he still holds her hand after recently celebrating 47 years of marriage. I know they love each other because my grandmother still looks at him with a glimmer in her eyes.

I respect every couple's right (especially this one because I know them personally) to express their love in any way they feel, BUT since this is my blog and I'm the Ace of Rambles I'm going to say that I disagree. There are other ways to express your undying love that don't involve ink....or thread :-)

-Ace of Rambles