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I am copying this and sending it to her in a text. I think she needs to read this to prepare. We promised not speak about this except when we meet next weekend with the pastor. We all agreed this is her journey to travel alone. But I think a little advice is needed and as usual you said it better than I can.I'm posting on @VintageRetro 's thread by answering @Diana7 's post. Here's the thing: when a person is an unfaithful spouse, the focus at that time is on the thrill and how it makes you feel. There's little or no thought of the faithful spouse, what it's done to them, or how they feel. And it's not like a faithful spouse can articulate this very well. "How did you feel a year ago at the lowest point of your life?" "Well... it hurt. I was devastated." That just doesn't cover it!!!
In real life, what this will do is allow Ex-MrsVR to read his anguish poured out "in real time"...which was also a time where that's not where her head was. Being as kind as I can, I suspect her head was much more in the mode of not wanting to lose XYZ over "a mistake" -- again, the focus being on her and what she was losing, not on VR himself or what he was going through.
Ex-MrsVR, I'll speak to you directly (assuming you're reading)--you ARE going to see some pretty harsh, judgmental posts. You are probably going to feel like a) defending yourself or b) you are lower than dirt on a shoe. Please bear in mind that all this was raw and that many people who posted were just as triggered as your ex-husband was...and they projected their hurt onto you. Hurting people hurt people. However, your ex-husband had a wonderful quality of sorting through the malarchy and finding the kernels of truth and solid advance. I hope you have the kindness in your heart to help him on his recovery journey. (Edited to add: It is my experienced advice to recommend to you that you not defend yourself or take it personally, but rather, allow your actions to show "who you are" and how you've grown. Show us rather than tell us. Not every unfaithful spouse faces themselves and becomes a better person, and I think it's conceivable you may have.So prove me right by reading these words with a grain of salt and using these words as a help to VR and not as some sort of description "of you." We know it's not.)
@VintageRetro , to you I'll say this: Ex-MrsVR has had some time and counsel to face, accept, and deal with/cope with the ending and death of the marriage. Partly because she was the one who began the end of the marriage through her actions--that put her a few months ahead of you. In the same time period, you've also had to deal with the sudden and shocking loss of your father, and now the death of your friend J who ended his own life dealing with the very pain that you also endured! I don't think you've really had time to face, accept and deal with/copy with the ending of your marriage AND the loss of your father AND the trigger of the way your friend J passed. Ex-MrsVR had kind of "one" thing to focus on, and she had the help of a therapist to guide her. So far, that has not been the case for you. So work with your pastor, maybe consider a grief support group, and take the time now to fully face this perhaps with the help of a therapist of your own.
Believe me when I say this. I absolutely do not wish her any more pain. We really tried to dissuade her. But she is absolutely convinced that only by reading it will she better understand that time period from my point of view. Pain shopping? Maybe a little bit I sense she genuinely wants to fix something she broke and has no other motivation. At least I feel that way right now.
I also want to take the opportunity to say your insight has been so valuable to me. Thank you so much.
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