barely holding on - 3

[Ahoy]

Going back to your thoughts about whether to wear your ring... When my H announced he was leaving, I asked what the separation meant -- do we take off our rings, will we be dating other people? He said yes and yes. I waited to take mine off until after he took off his. Then he moved out. My ring has a family diamond (my family) set into a setting I picked out. I didn't want to give it up, as I had received the diamond for my 16th birthday. I also didn't want my possibly doomed/failed relationship to define it, so I decided to rededicate my ring to myself -- my own personal strength and endurance and to my extended family who have supported me all these years. So I had it resized to go on my right hand. It was empowering. Now, even if H does return to the M, I don't plan to ever wear that ring on my left hand. That M is done. A new relationship would have to take its place. If at that time he requests that I wear a ring, then I would need to have a new ring representing a new commitment. The old promises that came with my original ring were broken.