Hi there brundle
Originally Posted by
brundle 
... My ring doesn't fit in me anymore; kind of how I don't fit my marriage. Maybe even though I work on leaving, I do it kind of dragging my feet; hanging on to something long after I have known all along I should have just let it go and let the wound close and heal....
Yeah, I did that too. For me it was my wedding ring. I had to do a full fourth and fifth step with my sponsor to dig that burr out. I wasn't hanging on to the ring, or to the memory of the marriage. I was hanging on to what I wanted people to think of me. My biological dad was a drunk. Irresponsible, abusive, selfish, your generic alkie. Being married was my way of proving to the world that I was _not_ like my father. Marriage was how I maintained my self esteem.
Giving up the ring meant i had become my father, unable to be a decent man, a good husband, or a loving father. All of that, wrapped up into a little piece of metal.
Jewelry does not define who I am. And what other people think of me is none of my business. The actions I take in my life define who I am, and the only person who's opinion matters is my Higher Power.
I gave the ring to the Salvation Army. It'll help them get a little money and help some young couple get a start on _their_ adventure. I spent a couple years living alone, being single, and I _loved_ it. I learned how to be me without something external to prop me up. Last two years I've been dating a charming young lady and starting a new life. Would never have gotten this far holding on to an old piece of metal.
Mike