Wedding Ring Etiquette for the Modern Widow

Did you know that there is an etiquette to your wedding ring when you become a widow?  I never really thought much about it.  I never asked my Mom when she would remove her ring or move it to the right hand after my Dad crossed over. The thought never crossed my mind.  But apparently it is big news and its meaning has more than I truly understood.It has been 254 days since Don has passed. Yes, I keep a weekly count of how many days in my organizer. I don't physically count the days on a daily basis, but I do have a week-by-week account of how many days it has been. I want to know without doing much thinking. I look at my organizer every now and then and am in amazement that many days has passed.So, after a wonderful retreat to Bimini Bahamas (next post I will share my trip news and photos), I decided that it felt right to move my wedding band to my right hand. There was nothing symbolic of the gesture, there was really no thought behind it. I had taken off all my jewelry while in the Bahamas when we went to the Mangroves so they would not get damaged. At the end of the week when I put my ring on, I thought I would see if it fit on my right hand. And it did, so I left it there. I didn't think anymore about it until it was brought up to me that it was shocking that I have "moved on". Really?! Just the simple act of moving my ring means that I have moved on? For me, moving on would be putting it into my jewelry box or actually dating. To those that truly know me, they know that I have not "moved on" and it will be sometime before I do move on. I don't have a time frame, when the time feels right I will move on and I feel sad for the person that brought this up, as they truly don't me.So, #BreakingNews, I have moved my wedding band encrusted with diamonds that holds so many precious memories to my right hand and it doesn't mean a damn thing!I still feel for the ring that used to be on my left hand, it has only been a few weeks since it moved. The indention of wearing it for 19 years is still there. The man that gave it to me is still in my heart and I miss him every day.Thanks to those of you that know me, for allowing me to do this without questioning me. Without making me feel like I did something wrong.Being a widow sucks when you are questioned on things you do.

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