it's funny that it fits my middle finger...

I've been cleaning various odds and ends out of my room in a continual effort to streamline my life. I really have too many things. None (well, most) don't make me particularly happy. They don't make me particularly anything. I'm not clearing things out to make way for more things either. I just have way too much crap and could do with considerably less.

I have a small box wherein I keep old rings, bracelets, earrings, and the like (most of my necklaces are on a jewelry tree for expedient early-morning-coffee-has-not-kicked-in-yet-and-meredith-is-still-a-sleep-zombie access. Also, I rarely wear either rings or earrings. I don't know why, I just prefer necklaces and the occasional bracelet. I was looking through the box full of jewelry I never wear and I came across the claddagh Walt gave me when he went to Ireland. It doesn't fit either ring finger anymore and is currently backwards on my middle finger on my right hand. I haven't worn it in over a year and in the intervening time have apparently lost enough weight that it no longer fits the finger it was originally sized to fit. I can't decide, though, if wearing it all is ok.

I always liked this ring. It's not a strictly traditional claddagh and it's much smaller and more delicate than the one it replaced (which was somewhat destroyed thanks to my overzealous use of bleach when cleaning my dorm bathroom.) But it was a gift from a man whose intention it was to keep it pointed in a particular direction for the rest of my life...except that this ring was not indicative of that desire. It was just a ring --a present, because he knew I wanted a replacement and was in the land of their creation. No pending contractual arrangement attached. Perhaps there was the implication that there might be one one day, but not the day he gave me the ring. Certainly not related to the ring.

Can I wear it? How would I explain it to a new guy? Would he even necessarily notice or ask? Am I obligated to explain the ring to gentlemen callers? It does indicate that I am single. And while I suppose my current situation may generously be described as slightly more complicated than "single" (but that's not something that will ever be discussed here. This is not the place for that), I like this ring and am tired of having it collect dust.

I guess what I am trying to ask is, what's the statute of limitations? I don't have any jewelry from other ex-boyfriends. I don't know how this works. I kept the ceramic cow Mike gave me until it broke and I could not glue it back together (poor cow, I really liked it.) I kept the CDs and books Jim gave me. He also gave me clothes once or twice but none of them fit so they've been given away. Is this ring so very different from the framed Rogue comic that I can't keep it? The comic is still perched on my shelf. I like it. I like the way it looks against my purple walls. When I look at it, I don't think about Walt. When I look at this ring I don't necessarily think about him either.

Can it just be a ring now? Not a ring with an asterisk attached?