The AAPHI Blog

Life insurance, more than most things you buy, relates to the circumstances of your life. You buy life insurance to protect your family from financial loss stemming from your death. You tie the amount of your life insurance to the money your family will need to provide an income, pay off debts, put children through college and cover financial commitments.

But what happens to life insurance when you’re about to dissolve your marriage? How do you deal fairly with a soon-to-be ex-spouse, yet still make sure you have coverage for the future? Is there a way to provide for adult children of a previous marriage without going broke — especially if you have children through a second or third marriage?

Here are a number of considerations you should be aware of:

- Don’t assume that your insurance agent or company knows about your circumstances. If you don’t change your beneficiary, your former spouse may receive the proceeds of your policy upon your death. If the designation simply reads, “husband of the insured” or “wife of the insured,” and there is no new spouse, the secondary beneficiary receives the proceeds.

- You may be able to transfer ownership rights of the policy as part of a property settlement or to ensure continuation of alimony payments. Your ex-spouse may not press as hard for more support or a greater slice of an ongoing pension if he or she remains the designated beneficiary on a permanent life insurance policy. Of course, you need to ensure that your policy remains a valuable asset by keeping up premium payments.

However, transferring an existing cash value policy (as opposed to a term policy, may carry with it the burden of federal gift tax, unless you transfer the policy prior to divorce. Be sure to discuss this option prior to the finalization of your divorce.

- Don’t overlook the possibilities life insurance may provide for dealing fairly with children from your previous marriage. If you’re paying alimony to your previous spouse and have a second family with your new spouse, adult children from your first marriage may sue your estate after you’re gone if they aren’t dealt with at least as fairly as the children from your subsequent marriage(s).

A permanent life insurance policy can be an immediate “estate replacer” to children from your first marriage — it helps you replicate accumulated assets that you wish to pass on to the children of your first family — but can’t afford to without neglecting the needs of your new family. Essentially, you purchase a permanent life insurance policy on yourself and designate your adult children as beneficiaries. When you die, proceeds bypass the probate process and pass directly to your adult children. Your immediate spouse and any children from that marriage are left with your accumulated property and assets — so you’ve provided for both families.

If you’re contemplating divorce, don’t forget the options you may have with respect to your life insurance coverage. Divorce is tough enough — don’t overlook the flexibility and security this valuable asset can provide.

Matt McWilliams is one of the co-founders of HometownQuotes.Com, an online insurance quotes web site. He is originally from Pinebluff, NC and graduated from Middle Tennessee State University in 2002. He is considered an expert in the field of online insurance shopping and finding new ways to help consumers save money on their insurance. For more information visit http://www.hometownquotes.com

Everyone likes getting a great deal, but when it comes to motorcycle helmets, saving a few dollars shouldn’t be more important than ensuring the purchase is a sound one. Safety helmets for motorcycle users are the law in many states, optional in others. Discount motorcycle helmets are a good option for those that need to save cash, but it’s important to make sure the purchase is sound.

Motorcycle helmets are meant to protect the head, and in the case of those with visors, the eyes as well. This is particularly important since the head and eyes are very vulnerable on people who ride motorcycles. There are myths that exist that say helmets can break necks, block vision and impair the hearing of the wearer, but these are simply myths. Especially so if the helmet is rated for safety and is properly fit to the wearer.

A good helmet, no matter the price, will protect a rider’s head and in conjunction with educational courses, can save a life, too. Helmets work for a number of reasons with the four standard components coming together to provide maximum protection. The typical helmet has the following parts:

* Outer shell. This is the visible part of the helmet.

* Impact-absorbing liner. This is located inside the shell and offers cushions to absorb shocks instead of your head.

* Comfort padding. This is the visible foam/cloth layer that rests on the head. It helps make the helmet more comfortable and also provides a more snug fit, or should.

* Retention. This is the chin strap. This is important because it keeps the helmet in place in the event of a crash.

Choosing a good helmet, discount or otherwise, should be a careful process. Although the outer appearance will no doubt catch attention, what’s inside is the most important. Protection should be the first consideration.

When looking at helmets, there are a few different options. They include:

* Solid face coverage. This type of helmet has a full-face visor that offers the most protection for the face. The shield is generally moveable and provides good coverage for the eyes as well.

* Three-quarter. This type of helmet is considered an “open face” helmet. It doesn’t offer the chin and face the protection of a total coverage model. Open-face helmets can come with snap-on shields or some riders opt to go with goggles to protect their eyes. Eye protection is not only important for obvious reasons, but also because road hazards such as stones or even bugs can cause visibility issues and even injury and accidents.

* Half-helmets. These protect almost none of the head and have a tendency to come off in a crash.

Helmets that provide the best protection are rated for doing so. The U.S. Department of Transportation and the Snell Memorial Foundation both test helmets and give their seals of approval to those that meet a few test requirements. Look for these endorsements.

Once you’ve checked out helmets and made sure they have DOT or Snell ratings, or both, it’s important to make sure a helmet fits correctly. Make sure what you buy not only offers protection, but is comfortable and doesn’t block vision.

Using a helmet is not only the law in a number of states, it’s a smart way to go. Motorcycling can be fun, but there are a few dangers that go along with it. Helmets can reduce at least a few of the dangers.

#1 Resource

Motorcycle helmets

http://www.motorcyclehelmetsite.com

In spite of the fact that the Property Index is still a newcomer establishment, they were registered in March 2007, they have become experts very quickly. Actually, they are a incredibly accessible establishment focusing entirely on offering instruction to anyone who is determined to sell, buy, rent, etc. property in the most popular regions of the world. What they pledge to do is to offer you assistance to laser target just what you crave for quick and, likewise, straightforwardly.

Real estate can be bought no matter where in our times, undoubtedly the choicest area being property available in Italy. It should be no problem to list the sensational real estate you can purchase in Italy, the rationale for picking real estate here is the houses and apartments available for sale and the splendid chance of spending your life amongst this dynamical people. It’s one of the truly fashionable property markets in our times, and in view of the overall attractiveness and the great sunshine surrounding you round the clock, how could you go wrong! Real estate in Italy is immersed in culture, art and history, this geographical region has a long tradition as a home to a fair number of indigenous nations.

Overseas property specialists Property Index sell a range of properties such as apartments and villas.

Some one generation ago you’d find merely a trickle of Englishmen keen on real estate in Italy. Just ask about anyone who has chosen to relocate to Italy and they’ll tell you the same thing. Many would tend to view it as a trend and others tend to view it as a almost a fixation… Buyers intending to move over here may range from young working couples in search of a new challenge in life to older generations meaning to enjoy themselves and slow down. Note that there might well be problems when attempting to buy real estate in a foreign country; expectably there’ll be 100s of steps whether plotting, touring or finalising. Even if only a single action is missed this could generate far-reaching problems and, preeminently, financial loss.

As is to be anticipated with this trendy destination, real estate may well be dear in this destination and this, of course, is absolutely due to the steep market demand. Nevertheless clients are actually spoiled in an area so full of ripping surroundings. It’s got all, stock and barrel, you could hanker for, and plenty more.

When you get your last working years you don’t have to draw your retirement fund immediately. Instead, you can delay procuring an income until the good old age of seventy five & if you do so you may perhaps discover you will get a more appealing deal. It’s branded as income draw down.

When you are aged between fifty years old & seventy five you are allowed to put-off the ownership of your pension from your insurance business. Instead, you are able to draw up to 120% of the pension that could have been purchased by means of the Government Actuary rates, and leave the remaining cash invested for when you require it. On your side, all you must do is to guarantee that you procure an annuity by the instance you’re seventy-five years old.

Crucially, what would occur if you wanted to take the income draw down option, & then departed this life? If this did arise then your current companion or those legally responsible would have 3 selections: take a lump sum, take away tax at thirty five percent, or then again carry on with financial deduction, or procuring an annuity pension with the investments. Your existing next of kin has until they arrive at sixty to delay the control of an annuity, though no benefits are allowed to be given in the period-in-between.

Why select income drawdown? Well in the main because it might end in you earning a more rewarding wage from your particular pension by doing so. Secondly, you are able to pick specifically when you acquire the annuity, hence if you give up work at a point when annuity rates are low, waiting could be a wiser option. If the residual resources mature as hoped for, then together with the fact that the annuity rates grow with age, you may ultimately be able to procure an enhanced pension than you might have got at the outset. First Place Financial has more useful information on Income Drawdown. Visit the site here.

Besides, it also means that when you depart this life your other half or dependants will gain economically, since they are officially entitled to the outstanding assets, as referred previously.

There are dangers as a consequence though. If asset performance on the remaining shares is poor, then the level of retirement income provided could reduce. And it is imperative to remember that there is no assurance that the pension obtained will ultimately be more than the whole figure that could have been acquired at the beginning.

William Harley and Arthur Davidson, both in their early twenties, built their first motorcycle in 1903. During their first year, the company’s entire output was only 1 motorbike; however, by 1910, the company had sold 3,200. Movies such as Easy Rider made Harleys a cultural icon and soon the company attracted people who loved its bad-boy mystique, powerfulness, rumbling voice, distinctive roar, and toughness. It sounded like nothing else on the road, and even Elvis Presley and Steve McQueen longed to ride one.

The Harley-Davidson Motor Company has had its ups and downs, and at times, the downs seemed as if they would end in bankruptcy. In the sixties, Honda, Kawasaki, and Yamaha invaded the American market, and when sales at Harley-Davidson dropped drastically due to decreasing quality and increasing competition, the company began to look for buyers and was finally sold. However, the new owners of Harley Davidson knew little about how to restore profitability. The quality became so bad that dealers had to place cardboard under bikes in the showroom to absorb the oil leaking.

Daniel Gross, in Forbes Greatest Business Stories of all Times, recounts how in 1981, with the aid of Citibank, a team of former Harley-Davidson executives began negotiations to reacquire the company and rescue it from bankruptcy. Among these executives was William Davidson, the grandson of the founder Arthur Davidson. In a classic leveraged buyout, they pooled $1 million in equity and borrowed $80 million from a consortium of banks lead by Citibank.

Harley’s rescue team of loyal executives knew that the Japanese motorbike manufacturers were far ahead in regard to quality management, and they made a bold decision to tour a nearby Honda plant. Paradoxically, the Japanese had learned Total Quality Management from the Americans, Edwards Deming and Joseph Juran. The new business concept outlined by these two pioneers was a new management approach that, interestingly enough, had been rejected by American manufacturers. As a result, they offered this approach to Japanese manufactures that were eager to learn and implement it. Therefore, soon after their tour of the Honda plant, the Harley Davidson Motor Company decided to put into practice this originally rejected approach.

After implementing just-in-time inventory (JIT) and employee involvement, costs at Harley had dropped significantly; this meant that the company only needed to sell 35,000 bikes instead of 53,000 in order to break even. Their lobbying at Washington also helped, and import tariffs were raised temporarily from 4 to 40 percent on Japanese bikes. This extra breathing space was something that the U.S. motorbike company desperately needed for its recovery.

The combination of visiting a Japanese motorbike manufacturing plant and lobbying in Washington for import tariffs was a daring move on behalf of Harley’s executives in their attempt to bring back profitability and growth to the company. Another important strategic move was the company’s unique marketing and branding campaigns. Studies showed that about 75 % of Harley customers made repeat purchases, and executives quickly recognized a pattern that refocused the company’s overall strategy. Simply put, they needed to find a way to appeal to the extraordinary loyalty of customers, which they found in creating a community that valued the experience of riding a Harley more than the product itself.

The sponsorship of a “Harley Owners’ Group” has been one of the most creative and innovative strategies that has helped create the experience of this product. Without realizing it, Harley executives had pioneered a new paradigm that would be increasingly embraced by other industries in their quest to increase profitability by converting their product into an experience. The company started to organize rallies to strengthen the relationship between its members, dealers, and employees, while also promoting the Harley experience to potential customers. The Harley Owners’ Groups became immensely popular; it allowed motorcycle owners to feel as if they belonged to one big family. In 1987, there were 73,000 registered members, and Harley now boasts to have no less than 450,000 members.

In 1983, the company launched a marketing campaign called SuperRide, which authorized over 600 dealerships to invite people to test-drive Harleys. Over 40,000 potential new customers accepted the invitation, and from then on, many customers were not just buying a motorcycle when they bought a Harley; instead, they were buying “the Harley Experience.”

Harley-Davidson offered its customers a free one-year membership to a local riding group, motorcycle publications, private receptions at motorcycle events, insurance, emergency roadside service, rental arrangements on vacation, and a host of other member benefits. Branding the experience, not just the product, has allowed the company to expand how it captures value, including a line of clothing, a parts and accessories business, and Harley-Davidson Visa card.

If you were to scan the list of companies that delivered the greatest returns on investment during the 1990s, you would discover Harley-Davidson. Only a few companies have been successful in inventing entirely new business models, or profoundly reinventing existing ones. Harley-Davidson went from supplying motorcycles to antisocial raiders to selling a lifestyle to the aging bad boy wannabes caught in their midlife crises. Traditionally, Harley-Davidson bike owners came from the working and middle classes, but as quality and prices of the bad-boy-bikes rose, and with energetic marketing, the company soon attracted a different class of buyerscurrently one third of Harley buyers are professionals or managers, and 60% are college graduates. The new customer segments of Harley are the Rolex Riders or the Rich Urban Bikers. Hell’s Angels do not run in the same group anymore. Now there are groups of accountants, lawyers and doctors. Women also account for a significant portion of the new riders, and there are women-only riders clubs spreading all over the globe.

The future looks bright for the U.S. motorbike company. According to The Economist, overall U.S. sales increased over 20% in 2000, and more than 650,000 new motorcycles were sold in the U.S. in the same year, up from 539,000 the year before. Bike buyers spent an estimated $5.45 billion on new bikes in 2000.

Stay alert and get it early. The new branding paradigm is to sell a lifestyle, a personality and it is also about appealing to emotions of your customers. Increasingly, it will be more and more about creating an experience around the product. Brand managers and executives will need a new set of lenses. The rules have changed as well as the opportunities to maximize profitability and create value in the process. Nonetheless, the majority of companies continue to follow traditional ad campaigns and they seem to ignore the fact that the media has fragmented into hundreds of cable channels, thousands of magazine titles and millions of Internet pages.

Consumers are no longer sitting ducks for commercials; they are looking for new experiences. Whether it is the bad-boy-aura of the Harley riding experience, the exquisite coffee experience in Starbucks cafés, or the active participation in Net communities, more and more companies will need to follow these early new branding pioneers. They will need to look into the dynamics of their relationships with customers and the nature of their interaction. They will need to ask themselves some serious “out-of-the-box” questions if they want to move with the shifting value that is the result of constantly changing market conditions.

Branding has changed and so have marketing and advertising campaigns. New variability, heterogeneity where there was once homogeneity, newly emerging stratifications of wealth, new preferences, and new life styles are all characteristics of the 21st century customer that are here to stay. We better get used to it, at lease until the next paradigm is discovered. Remember, the companies that are creating new wealth are not just getting better; they are becoming differentmind-bogglingly different!

Bibliography:
Barker, Joel. Paradigms. Harper Business, 1993.

Bedbury, Scott. A New Brand World: Eight Principles for Achieving Brand Leadership in the 21st Century, Viking Press, 2002.

Gross, Daniel: Forbes Greatest Business Stories of All Time, John Wiley & Sons, 1997.

Hamel, Gary. “Innovation Now,” in Fast Company
(http://www.fastcompany.com/online/65/innovation.html), December 2002

Kotter, John P., Leading Change, Harvard Business School Press, 1996, pp. 4 - 14.

Teerlink, Rich, and Ozley, Lee: More Than a Motorcycle: The Leadership Journey at Harley-Davidson, Harvard Business School Press, 2000.
Young, James Webb. Technique for Producing Ideas, McGraw-Hill, p. 14.

Josef Schinwald is consultant in Performance Measurement and professor in Business Strategy at the University of Belgrano, Buenos Aires, Argentina, and his didactic material must not be replicated without the given permission to do so. Copyright © 2003-2005 Business Design Innovation. Josef is also owner of ValueQuest, LLC, a e-commerce business, and you can visit his sites at My Motorcycle Leather http://www.my-motorcycle-leather.com and Stylish Wedding Favors http://www.stylish-wedding-favors.com.

Tires are important. In fact, your choice of tires can affect comfort, handling, safety and more.

There are two kinds of tire construction. The first is the bias-ply and the other is called the radial. Bias-ply construction is generally used by cruisers. On the other hand, radial construction is used by sport bikes. You can easily distinguish one construction from the other for bias-ply has round profile while radial has a flatter and shorter version.

Bias-ply uses a carcass that is made up of overlapping layers of nylon or rayon cords. The flexing action produces heat which contributes to a good grip. The drawback of this construction is that it reduces performance and hastens tire wear because too much heat can be generated.

Radial tire construction acquired its name because its plies are running at a 90-degree angle. As oppose to the bias-ply, this construction reduces heat generation. As a result, tires are cooler and not susceptible to hastened tire wear. The drawback though is that the sidewalls can effortlessly be flexed. Thus, the sidewalls are given a shorter profile.

Tire pressure really matters to the tires. Therefore, it has to be checked regularly.

Aside from tire construction, we must also be knowledgeable about tire wear in relation to choosing tires. Softer compounds are good in producing more traction however, they wear out quickly. Harder compounds have fast wear but they may not cause a good grip.

Moreover, OEM or aftermarket motorcycle parts manufacturers and distributors must consider dealing with effective grip coupled with longer mileage when it comes to tires. This is of course to prolong the life of motorcycle tires.
One factor that can affect tire wear is the rider’s riding style. Aggressive riders usually have their front tire to wear out faster than the rear. Why is this so? This is because tires tend to brake late using mostly the front brake. In contrast, cruiser riders, normally wear out the rear tire first. This is because they have more weight at the rear portion of the bike.

To know when to change your tires, you can perform the ‘penny test’. Simply put a penny into a tire groove with its head pointing down. You have to change your tire when you can see the top of the head of the person in the coin. It can be an hint that the tread depth has already reached 1/32 of an inch.

Please visit Aftermarket Motorcycle Parts site at www.aftermarketmotorcyclepartsnow.com/AftermarketMotorcycleParts.html for comments and inquiries regarding this article.

Do you need special mountain biking apparel in order to ride a bike? Of course not! You will be able to ride without the specifically designed shorts, gloves, socks, and shoes. However, suitable gear enables you to get real enjoyment from the sport, and to perform at your peak.

Mountain biking apparel isn’t just about looking good. It is about clothing performing well in any weather, and under difficult mountain biking conditions. The ideal gear allows the rider to get on with the ride, instead of being hampered by inadequate protection.

The basic items of mountain biking apparel needed for riding are gloves, shorts, socks, shoes, sunglasses, and a protective helmet.

Gloves are available in full or half finger types, and both have padding where you need it to prevent your hands from going numb. In addition, gloves will protect your hands in case of a fall.

Shorts come in two styles, baggy or tight. Lycra is the preferred material for mountain biking apparel. Both have padding to protect your backside, and prevent numbness. If you have a favorite pair of ordinary shorts you want to wear, look for the padded underwear that will allow you to do this, while still offering protection.

Cycling socks are slightly thinner than regular athletic socks, and are made of special wicking material to keep your feet dry. Socks also protect your ankles, and should always be part of your mountain biking apparel.

The shoes forming part of mountain biking apparel, have one important feature: SDP compatibility. This means that they have a rigid sole, and an area that will hold the cleats for a clipless pedal. The shoe is then attached to the bike. The sole’s lack of flexibility means that you can keep an even pressure on the pedal.

Shoes come in many different styles. They range from something similar to a hiking boot, to lighter shoes in racing style.

The helmet is the most important piece of mountain biking apparel. This essential item’s safety considerations makes it a must-have. It can be a life-saving piece of equipment. When choosing a helmet, look for a good fit. Always ensure that it has the certification it needs to provide vital head-protection.

When buying quality mountain biking apparel, asking the right questions may save you money in the long run.

You need to know if the fabric used in the mountain biking apparel, is designed to ‘wick’. This means that the fabric has the characteristic of removing moisture from the skin to the outer layer of the material, where it can dry more easily. This is the only way to keep the rider cool and comfortable.

You may also want to ask if the mountain biking apparel has a zip in the front for extra air flow, and pockets in the back for keeping maps, snacks or other necessities. Comfort and convenience go hand in hand.

You also need to know if the mountain biking apparel has invisible seams. This is essential to prevent chafing and rubbing on your skin. It will make your ride far more comfortable and improve endurance. If buying a jersey, whether short or long sleeved, make sure that it fits well, and can be left hanging over your shorts.

If you are riding in wet, windy and cold weather, a jacket may become an important mountain biking apparel item. Look at the stitching, the zips, and the fabric in terms of durability. It will need to balance water resistance with the ability to aid sweat loss. A well-designed jacket will have zips that open up under your armpit, to let cool air in when needed.

As a serious rider, you will be training throughout the year in all weather conditions. It is therefore important to look at layering mountain biking apparel. Cannondale has produced some well-designed layering systems. They use technically advanced materials to aid the competitive rider.

Your goal is to feel comfortable to such an extent, that you are able to forget all about mountain biking apparel. Enjoy the ride!

For more information visit Best-Mountain-Biking.com

Rika Susan of Article-Alert.com researches, writes, and publishes full-time on the Web. Copyright of this article: 2006 Rika Susan. This article may be reprinted if the resource box and hyperlinks are left intact.

Past life regression, aka PLR, might unearth the reason why we have arguments with people in our present life or why we are worried of certain situations. You have fellow workers around you in your current life that you have astonishingly known before, now just imagine being capable to learn what happened and what your relationship was to them at that time and remove blocks that plague you in your current time and even find out talents and bring them into your current time. Past lifetime regression, aka PLR, is marvellous.

When you are having a past life regression, aka PLR, session you will regress to the life you would most need to know about in your present lifetime. This is brilliant and may clarify a large deal about your present life and help you to go forward with your life with a greater understanding of yourself, your life and the people around you.

You should also unearth why you are the individual that you are, now that is fabulous. If you delight in nature perhaps you were once working on a farm, if you enjoy to travel maybe you were a traveller. Instead of forgetting our strengths we should acknowledge them.

Every experience is great and unique. Other people have went to places they?d lived in before and just knew where to go. Use Past Life Regression to solve issues in your current life.

The thought of a safari can often probably conjure up the visualisations of bliss and the location of stunning Africa. African safaris have been well accepted in South Africa for decades and have become likeable with the UK holiday tourists cause of the spectacular weather and the brilliant wildlife that might be explored.

The very best time to investigate Zambia for a brilliant walking safari is around June as the weather is marvellous. The number of Scottish tourists who travel over to South Africa for a safari has increased in the last 3 years due to the strong pound and also due to the increased attention of South Africa.

The wildlife that you can see is big, you can see lions and elephants all up close. Zambia is spot on for people who want to come and investigate the wildlife and also wish for a romantic vacation. The safaris are not too strenuous that you cannot possibly go back to your brilliant hotel in the evening for a romantic evening. That is why safaris in Africa will often be perfect for a honeymoon. South Africa has some of the greatest privately owned lodges and safaris in the country and should be experienced by everybody at least once. Visit the South Luangwa National Park through Shenton and see lions upclose.

“The quality of love and the duration of a relationship are in direct proportion to the depth of the commitment by both people to making the relationship successful. Commit yourself wholeheartedly and unconditionally to the most important people in your life.” -Brian Tracy

I have observed that love, like gold, has gradients of quality. I met and married my wife Kim nearly twenty years ago. For our wedding, I bought Kim a gold wedding ring. Since we paid for our own wedding, the purchase of her ring left us with just enough money to choose a sterling silver ring for myself.

Some time ago, I misplaced the sterling silver ring. As I dwelled upon the loss and significance of that ring, the thought entered my mind that my love and commitment to Kim had actually deepened over the years since our wedding. Sterling silver was an appropriate symbol for the early years of our marriage; for although I loved my wife, my commitment to her in the early years was more from a sense of duty and obligation than from unselfish delight.

However, I soon came to the conclusion that the quality of my love for my wife was no longer adequately represented by a sterling silver ring. Perhaps it was the incredible experience of raising our first son Nate together; or, perhaps it was my, albeit delayed, recognition that my wife loves me as I am - ‘warts’ and all as she says. Whatever the reasons, my love for Kim had indeed attained a refined quality and it seemed appropriate to me that a symbol of our love and commitment, a wedding ring, should accurately reflect this maturing love.

I therefore replaced the sterling silver ring with 10K gold. My first gold wedding ring represented a love that was in fact golden, yet, similar to the inferior characteristics of 10K gold, was not of unmitigated quality.

Several more anniversaries have since come and gone. Somehow I have managed to misplace the 10K gold ring. This second loss provided another opportunity for reflection. I decided as a result of years of experiencing hard times, lean times and good times with Kim, to replace the second lost ring with the higher quality 14K gold ring that I’m currently wearing.
The 14K gold ring is unmistakably of a higher quality and substantial than the first two. It is an appropriate symbol of a love that has been tested by my bouts of depression, the adoption of our youngest son after the loss of his birth parents, and the trials associated with the premature loss of Kim’s mother and sister.

As mentioned, my wife and I will soon celebrate our twentieth wedding anniversary. I expect that in the not to distant future, I will somehow manage to misplace the 14K gold ring. If our resources permit, it will be replaced with an 18K gold ring.

I have come to understand that similar to gold, the quality and intrinsic value of love varies. As Kim and I continue to grow old together, my propensity to misplace things will likely intensify. Perhaps, sometime around our fiftieth anniversary, should we be so blessed as to experience this milestone, I will select a 24K pure gold wedding ring. A symbol of any lesser quality will certainly not suffice.

Mark is a federal employee, father of 3 teen boys and happily married husband to Kim of 20+ years.