Honestly, I don't really think about it from one day to the next. All I knew was that not wearing it felt like a lie. The other reason was I am out a lot and I it was like a cloak of protection. Most people I meet don't know my sitch so it lets people know that I am married and stops the awkward conversations.
I am sorry that it took so long for your families to accept you. I am glad they now do - that is something immensely positive to take from your time with your W.
Not sure if you know, but I was engaged once before and we were together nearly ten years before we decided to get married. It was only when we made that decision I realized how trapped I felt - which led to my cheating on him and eventually leaving him for someone else (my H). Sometimes we focus so much on the end game, that once attained, we question our reasons for wanting it.
As an aside, I often wonder if I would have been happy with him if I had not had my quarter life crises - and the answer is yes. I would have been happy. I remember hanging on to anything anybody had to say about him which was negative and saying to myself "see you were right, he is [insert bad trait here]". I know now that the issues were with me and my own sense of self. Your W will realize this one day too. For her, like for me, it may be too late.
