Kristina Miggiani

But the fact that I could do this made me feel unfaithful to my grief and shallow to my core, when really all I was trying to do was survive terrible loss and not be another thing he had left behind.

Part of the ring experience was a spiritual journey, and it was also a critical part of my grieving process.

I learned that while dreams and sentimental objects are nice to have, it's good to know when to let them go.

And while I kept the ugly shirt, in the last 19 months, I've had to let go of him, our apartment, and my old life.

And he's part of that old life.

It's a life I wanted, no doubt.

But I learned that I had to let go of that life to learn how to live in the present.

I therefore went back in time to my memories, where he now resides, and I gave him the biggest bear hug goodbye, apologizing that my time had come to cut this lost tie to us as a couple.

And now for the big reveal.

In the end, I got something that symbolizes the part that I am on, and that's why I got a watch.

It's a milestone of time, symbolizing the end of our time, but celebrating a new time for me.

The time of being a fiance-less fiance had ticked by.

Thank you.