Rings are in the shape of a circle, and there are some unique properties about circles that make them the perfect shapes for marriage symbols.
First, as many of us are probably aware of, circles have no end. In this way, the circle of a wedding ring can represent the hope for a marriage that has no end, which is particularly fitting—get it?—for representing a marriage that has been sealed for all eternity in the temple, as was done this morning.
Not only is the shape of a circle seemingly eternal, but also there’s another eternal aspect to circles. To draw a circle, you multiply its diameter by pi, which itself is an infinite number. So, not only does a circle look like it has no end, it is calculated with a number that also has no end.
Also, you could pick any point on a circle—any point at all; it wouldn’t matter where—and it would be the same distance to the centre of the circle as that of any other point on the circle. Every point of the circle is the same distance from the centre.
In this way, a ring can remind married people that no matter where they are in their life or what they’re doing to always centre their marriage in their life.
Plus, the never-ending sequence of numbers that follow the decimal in pi never manifests as a repeating pattern, which reminds us that each marriage is unique and requires a personalized approach to make it last and flourish.
Another unique thing about circles is that they’re highly symmetrical. Take any point on a circle, draw a line through the centre to the opposite side of the circle, and you’ll get a line of symmetry, where the half of the shape is identical to the other half of the shape.
This is a reminder that no matter how you look at your marriage, it should always be about both halves: no half is more important than the other.
As you exchange these rings and wear them throughout your life together, hopefully they can serve as reminders to treasure the eternal aspect of your marriage, to centre your life in your marriage, to take a unique approach to your marriage, and to remember that each of you is no more important than the other.
