I do have secrets that only very few know about (ahem) so I guess I sharpened my skills at hiding my emotions from the general public. But what the world needs now is not more negative, so why not be positive? I really am troubled by this notion of toxic positivity.
I haven’t posted in a while, in fact I had to check to be sure the WP app is even on this phone. 🙂
Here’s the update: I’m ok. We’re ok. Its been more than six years since I woke up to the nightmare that created this blog. This life is not perfect, and our relationship is not perfect, but it’s a work in progress that, so far, is working.
Happiness after discovering you’ve been betrayed is possible. It takes time. How much time? It’s hard to say. 🙂 Lots of growth will happen, and it can be shocking as it happens, but it’s worth it. Keep going, you’ll get there.
Happy Thanksgiving, friends.
☀️
☀️
I feel bad coming here to vent when I haven’t posted an update in a while, but this blog is where I keep thoughts / feelings that I don’t / can’t share in Real Life, and tonight something shook me little bit, so here I am.
I will be back with a proper New Year 2020 post soon. 🙂
Anyway, everything’s OK. It’s just that H and I have been watching a series on Netflix. I hate to name it, because spoilers, but I’ll just say it’s based on a true story. The main character is a guy who I didn’t know anything about before starting the show, and based on his line of work, I expected him to be a bad guy, a womanizer and murderer; a Tony Soprano- like character. However, four or five episodes in, I found myself feeling like maybe, just maybe, this man was different. He seemed to love his family and took good care of his friends. In fact, during a scene when a female business partner was making a move on this married man, but he rebuffed her advances, H and I both expressed surprise that this was the first show we’ve seen in a long time, maybe ever? without a plot that includes infidelity involving a principal character.
Well. You probably know how this turns out without having seen the show. Because there is no such thing as a television drama without infidelity. 😒
It turns out that I got played, as did this character’s beautiful wife, who finally discovered his many, many affair partners halfway through the series. And during the scene where she confronted him, and he didn’t deny any of it, I felt that old feeling again, that thankfully, I haven’t experienced in some time. It’s the chill that goes down your spine, the dropping of your heart into your stomach, the disbelief. I trusted this guy, and he betrayed me. I’m a smart girl, how could I have been such a fool?
It just sucks.
But I’ll be OK. I know that is no longer my situation, and I’ve recovered well enough that I can sit with those feelings for a few minutes and then bounce right back. Four years on, I’m happy and proud to be able to say this.
Maybe it’s good to have a reminder sometimes, to help ensure that I won’t allow that to happen to me ever again.
☀️
Hello, friend.
This can be a downright horrible time when your world has just been blown to smithereens by betrayal. If you’re hurting today, please take some time to breathe and care for yourself.
Don’t bother with reflecting on holidays past – just know that next year will be a little better.
☀️
It has been a little under three years since H accepted his truth, gave up the fantasy world he’d been living in 50% of the time, and got busy working on growing into an emotionally mature adult. Part of that recovery was examining the ways in which his upbringing shaped his ideas about women, sex, love, relationships, commitment, and so on.
It wasn’t his mother’s fault that he behaved like an a@$*#0!% as an adult, but it also wasn’t his fault that she was a horrendous mother. As children, we generally look to our parents to protect us, to teach us right from wrong, to be the smartest person we know, and to be our greatest source of encouragement.
Unfortunately for H, (and even more unfortunately for me) H’s mother was a disappointment on all fronts. She was an entitled layabout who was as likely to blame her young son for their sad living situation as she was to blame her ex-husband, who left when H was a toddler. She didn’t take good care of herself, or her boy, but instead little H grew up believing it was his responsibility to take care of both of them.
I originally thought I would say the one thing she did get right was to convince her parents to allow H and her to stay with them, but on second thought – it was that living environment, with the constant arguing amongst the adults in the house, that fostered H’s stunted emotional maturity and raging conflict avoidance. It wasn’t long ago that H shared with me the sad image of himself as a not-so-little boy, surrounded by stuffed animals in his room – a barrier designed to protect himself from the screaming and yelling on the other side of the bedroom door. 😔 It wasn’t a great time for him at his grandparents’.
So, no, she gets no points for securing that roof over his head.
When I first met her, thirty years ago – I didn’t know any of this, of course, and I was just happy that she seemed to like me. Over the years I learned to despise her, because in many ways she was truly despicable. Even so, as her health failed, H and I attempted time and time again to help her. But you can’t help someone who refuses to help themselves. The past 24 months have been especially difficult for H, as they battled over many things in regards to her care and well-being. One highlight during this time was when hospital staff reported her to APS for self-neglect. Such a proud moment (insert sarcasm emoji here).
She died this week. H had purchased a bottle of champagne when he knew the end was near, believing he would want to celebrate at that moment, but instead he’s taken on the role of responsible boy again, ensuring his mother gets a send-off that’s much nicer than she deserves. The champagne can wait until it’s all done.
I can’t help but wonder how her death will ultimately affect H. He’s mentioned a fear that he will have feelings of guilt, as if he didn’t try to do everything possible to make her happy and comfortable. I assure you (and him), that H went above and beyond for this woman, and even on her deathbed, days away from taking her last breath, she was rude and hateful to him. My hope is that he’ll finally feel free from her, but where will that freedom lead….? 🤔
So, a session with Therapist is in order, hopefully as soon as next week. Maybe they can share the bottle. 🍾 🥂
☀️
H and I have been in the progress of planning a getaway for a while now – the past few months have been one thing after another, you know how it is.
Last week we finally came up with a plan, decided on a place and time, and booked a place to stay. Then I submitted the dates to my manager for time off – July 1 through 5.
It wasn’t until yesterday – a week later – that it dawned on me. July 1. 😳 The dreaded day, The First D-Day. Over the past three years, I’ve planned for and anticipated triggers for 7/1, but this time, I guess I sort of forgot 🤷♀️
Now, make no mistake – I haven’t forgotten what happened before and after that day. The shock and pain is unforgettable. The work I’ve done to get myself to this place has been hard. But four years on, the significance of July 1 has softened. Thankfully, I can happily plan a trip without concern that I’ll freak out on that particular antiversary.
If you’re just getting started on the journey back from betrayal, please believe me when I say that you are not always going to feel the way you do today. The sun does continue to rise, and you can rise along with it. It takes time, but you are going to be ok. 🙂🙏
The Aftermath 
Recent Comments