I know I am still fairly new to this aspect of life. For me I have no thoughts of removing my ring.

Thanks so much for all of your heartfelt feedback, everyone.

I understand it's a very individual choice an can vary according to how long ago the death was, whether or not one is dating/remarried, etc...

I'm wearing the right on my left hand again right now on my way to this reading for my wife and I just feel so sad. I'm about to see her parents and I just don't know what I'm going to say to them but hopefully just showing up and being nice is enough.

Your responses made me feel more okay about my desire to wear the ring while in private, but the other ring that still signifies my wife in public. Unless it is an event like this one where I am appearing as her widow, in which case I shall wear the wedding ring.

All of this is so hard. I never thought I'd end up in this position. As I get ready to head out tonight I am just steeling myself for a difficult evening an hoping I can make it through as graciously as possible.

Thanks so much for all of your kind words and guidance.

My wife passed on Dec 5th of last year. She was in an induced coma for eight days. The nurse took her wedding ring off because the medication was making her hands swell. I put her ring on my gold chain so that when she came out of her "sleep" I could put it on her finger. Unfortunately I never had that opportunity. I wore her ring until 2 weeks ago, when I put it in front of her urn. As far as my ring, I will wear it forever. It is a symbol of my Love for her.
Everyone one is different, to some it could bring sadness, so do what's in your heart. That's the right choice.
Joe.

At 18 months, and I have no intention of removing mine

I wear both my husband's wedding band and my own on my right hand...for me they symbolize my two children. Ironically, my husband never wore his wedding band. Said the shape of it cut into the webs between his fingers. When I first put it on I could understand what he meant, but I got used to it. I guess he never got used to it.

I still wear my wedding band, most days with the humidity, cold, I can get it for sure on my right ring finger, and sometimes on the left. I do wear his wedding band, and ring finger stamped heart on a necklace. I will always wear my wedding ring, just may be on my right hand versus my left. When I put it on, at first glance, I look at it, and say... oh my husband, Im married, then it hits me, hes gone forever. So sometimes despite my committment, it makes me more sad to wear it than not. I toss and turn between wearing it at times, but it wil always be on my right ring finger. Much love and big hugs carla....p.s. my husband would understand support me regardless if I wore it or not. When he couldnt wear his during the week, due to his line of work. He would tell me, being married is in your heart, and no ring is going to determine how you feel married or not.

It's been two years since my Larry 'left'. I lost some weight after his passing, so I had to move my wedding ring to my middle finger instead of my ring finger. I still wear it. I have a 'friend' but he knew Larry and knows how much I love my husband. He has no problem with it. I'll probably continue to wear it....I won't remarry. This is know, because being a retired Navy wife, I'd lose my benefits, including health care. SO I'll always be my husbands' wife. One day if I found a special man, I might have a commitment ceremony, and wear a ring from that person...but I'll probably always wear this one.

Well, at two weeks after Juani died, I anointed myself with oil and declared my mourning to be over, and took off my ring. I had already given away all Juani's jewelry to our 6 year old granddaughter which is what Juani wanted done. Well, I figured my mourning would be over then -- never was sad for more than 2 weeks with any of the other deaths I had experienced, so why should this one be any different? Well, that plan didn't work out at all for me. Oh, just so you know, the anointing oil really did help me in getting my wedding ring off -- but for it, I might have had to cut either the ring or my finger off. ~~ Scottie

I wear mine always will. I'm 5 year widowed on March 12. My Ken put my ring on my finger 43 years ago and like our wedding bands say.
APRIL 28/73 through eternity.
I whispered in his ear before they turned the machines of. I will love you for ever there will be no other. He was my 1st and last love.
Our son got married last Sept with his Dad's wedding band. His Dad would have been so proud.
I think it is an individual choice but to me no one has the right to tell you not to till your ready

Scottito, declared your grief over at two weeks, eh? If only that worked! Like yourself, I had lost others to death and thought it would be the same. It's...not.

WOW Scott, now I believe I have finally lived long enough to actually SEE the true Optimist... you. declaring your mourning to be over after a mere 2 weeks !
Just,... WOW. I am trying to remember if at 2 weeks my loss had even sunk in yet..

Uh,................................ NO ! It had not.
but then again, my loss was absolutely without warning. perhaps IF I had known he had a terminal illness I may have been able to over-estimate myself and my mourning Prowess?
Actually, I Still think NOT.
I am almost notoriously bad at this.
but thanks for the laugh, even if you did not intend to cause it.

My honest opinion is that nobody else's opinion counts on this subject. I would be very surprised if anybody else either cared or noticed. All over to you, my dear

I think you have to do what feels right. For me leaving my ring on my left hand was not healthy, it was keeping me from moving on, i would like down and saw myself as married and it was like I would forget he wasn't coming back. I have to learn to function as a widow, I am not single, I am a widow, the remaining partner after 30+ years of marriage. I can't imagine ever not wearing my wedding band, but it is now on my right hand.

My husband and I were married almost 29 years. I took my wedding ring off after about 7 months. It was a birthday gift to myself. I no longer felt married.
My children gave me a beautiful gold chain with my husband's wedding ring on it. I have added mine to it. I don't wear it, but I know it's there.
It is such a personal decision to take a wedding ring off. I researched so many sites and articles before I took mine off. The bottom line is that you'll know when to take it off.

I had stopped wearing it on my hand the last 6 months we were together because it had slipped off my finger in front of a bus one day, but instead wore it on a chain around my neck. Then, over a year later (his 6 months in the hospital & for another 6 months after that) wore the chain always (except in the bath. Then, one day, I forget to wear it around my neck. I realised some hours later, but took it as a sign. It hangs on it's chain near the bedside now.