I received my purity ring when I was 11 years old. I had personally asked my grandmother to get me one for Christmas and was beyond happy when I opened the little black box.

A golden butterfly, my auntie had told me that when butterflies flew around you it was a sign that God loved you and now I had a butterfly with me everywhere I went.

I was the first in my family to have a purity ring. Many of them questioned what it meant. Why did I ask for such an odd gift. Why? Well there were many reasons why I wanted a purity ring.

For starters I was in sixth grade and I had just finished taking a sex ed class. I cringed.Then we were given these stay abstinence cards that had pledges on them. Of course I pledged it. But I wanted something more. Sure this pledge was spoken and I wrote my signature on it but I wouldn’t have this card with me at all times.

The bible came into mind when I started to think about staying abstinent until marriage, or until I was personally ready.

I didn’t want my first time to mean nothing. I didn’t like calling it sex. Even at the age of 11 I knew that love had to be incorporated into sex.

When it came time for me to be interested in intimacy my purity ring always stopped me from taking it too far. Even so I had waited two weeks before I had turned 19 to have my first kiss. Embarrassing I know, but that was me.

My purity ring stopped me from being tricked into giving away something so pure to someone so tainted. I know I wanted to wait until I met someone special before I gave my innocence away to them.

My golden butterfly was always on my finger and I loved that it was. My ring and I were bonded to one another.

The day I took my purity ring off was beyond emotional. But I did not regret it. This ring had stayed on my finger for over 8 years. It had shaped me, saved me, helped me and kept myself protected.

Many laughed at the thought of me having such a ring, but I didn’t mind.

This ring to men and women meant that I was waiting. And if they did not want to wait with me, their loss.

There are many reasons why having a purity ring was good thing. Though I had learned a lot about myself after taking it off, I learned patience, kindness and hope with it on. It made me proud to know I waited a long time and that I was committed to something for so long.

My ring made sure I was mature enough to understand what sex truly was. Loved was needed in order for it to be special to me. Because as they say, you will always remember your first. It was not a mistake.

My ring now sits in its box. In hopes that one day I will pass it on to someone else whose willing to stay abstinence from sex until they are truly ready. I miss having it on my finger some days, but I know we had both had already served a purpose and now we look ahead.

The power of a purity ring is one of the strongest forces I know.