My mother divorced my father and kept her wedding ring. No, it is not because she misses her relationship and is reminiscing. It is because it brings her back to the introduction to her independence. When my mom married my dad, he opened her world from her small, impoverished town in the depths of San Luis Potosi to the land of promises. He married her and then brought her to the United States where she saw people with opportunities and independence she never knew existed. Ultimately, they divorced down the line, but my mother kept her ring because it was the beginning of a different world for her. Marrying my dad opened her doors to the US and exposure to independence. She was completely and financially dependent on my dad, but because of him, she was able to see a country where she could be. After the divorce, my mom was lost but she found her way toward being independent so that she could provide for her kids. She succeeded in not only finding her own but guiding her daughters toward independence in the land of opportunity. This is why my dear mother holds on to her ring; it was the introduction to a better life for her and our family.

– Perla Vidovich

Relationship:  Im/migrant Im/migrant