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Sherri Rosen's avatar

I got married at the naive age of 21, and had 2 boys within the 10 years I was married. After 8 years I realized our marriage was a huge mistake. I made the decision to go into therapy and the therapist guided me and we worked together on why I needed to leave and how I would leave with our 2 sons. I was terrified about leaving and the responsibility of our two sons, and the guilt i felt of me and my sons leaving their dad. I knew their dad would not fight me on custody because he was hardly ever home, and clearly showed he wasn’t interested in his family. I was a stay at home mum, so now I needed a part time job, and to find a place to live, and to get things in my own name, like credit cards, a bank account, and learn how to pay bills. I had no power and I had to learn how to get it! On the day my soon to be ex left, I heard him crying in the hallway. It was the only bit of humanity I’d heard from him in all the time we’d been together. At that point, I was sad, in my own pain, but resolute that I was going to make a better life for my children. I found freedom and the strength and courage to create a better life for myself and two sons.

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Nocapes's avatar

A most intriguing prompt - I realize that since my husband's death early this year, I both fear and dread all kinds of hurdles; from filing taxes, emergency plumbing catastrophes, traveling solo, tough conversations - but somehow just showing up is the hardest part. Nothing is as bad as I envision and there's a sweet release in just rolling with the circumstance however it presents itself and whatever form it takes. I can be my own worst enemy and often struggle to get out of my own way.

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