Cookies are required for login or registration. Please read and agree to our cookie policy to continue.

Newest Member: Starrystarrynight

Reconciliation :
Past Memories with glittering lies. WS welcome.

This Topic is Archived
default

 libertyrocks (original poster member #38924) posted at 7:24 PM on Tuesday, April 30th, 2013

How do you all feel about the memories you shared with WS? I'm trying to seperate the lies with the real H, but it's hard. I feel all the moments and pictures we have are tainted with deceit and pain.

To WS, were you really in the moment with your BS? Or were those times of A's all lies??

[This message edited by libertyrocks at 1:28 PM, April 30th (Tuesday)]

Me-37 Ws-37
2 kids
Dday Nov 2012, TT for a year.
Reconciling for the third time in 4 years.

posts: 972   ·   registered: Apr. 8th, 2013
id 6317964
default

doesitgetbetter ( member #18429) posted at 8:56 PM on Tuesday, April 30th, 2013

It's very painful in the beginning. I remember throwing away all of our couples ornaments that we had purchased for each of our Christmas's on DDay (DDay was 2 weeks before Christmas so the tree was already up). All those years were such a sham to me.

But you know what, they weren't a sham, not to me anyway. All those happy memories were really happy memories. It took a long time for me to let go of that pain that I felt when I looked at pictures, it took a long time for me to stop looking at the date on the photos and trying to figure out if it was during an A or not. It took a long time to accept that my H basically led two different lives, and they were both real and completely separate to him, yet only one was real to me. Those memories were all good memories for me at the time, so I reclaimed them as my good memories slowly but surely after DDay.

As for the WS being in the moment, of course they are. Many (if not all) WS compartmentalize so they CAN live two different lives at the same time. How could you not? So yes, the WS is very often totally there with the BS when they are there with the BS, and totally with the AP when they are with the AP. It's hard to wrap our brain around, but it does happen, and often.

(((liberty)))

DDay - Dec '07
Me - BS
Him - WS
Us - working on R - again
May 18, 2010 - I forgave him fully!
D-day 2 July 4, 2015, turns out he is a SAWH, status, working harder than before
May 22, 2019 -slip/relapse. He forgot he has to work forever

posts: 4527   ·   registered: Feb. 29th, 2008
id 6318112
default

sisoon ( Moderator #31240) posted at 10:52 PM on Tuesday, April 30th, 2013

Still painful for me, most of the time.

fBH (me) - on d-day: 66, Married 43, together 45, same sex apDDay - 12/22/2010Recover'd and R'edYou don't have to like your boundaries. You just have to set and enforce them.

posts: 31118   ·   registered: Feb. 18th, 2011   ·   location: Illinois
id 6318267
default

Darkness Falls ( member #27879) posted at 11:18 PM on Tuesday, April 30th, 2013

To WS, were you really in the moment with your BS? Or were those times of A's all lies??

It depends on the moment.

There were times when I was "fully present" in the M and with my H. (As fully present as one could be while deceiving another, I mean.) Those times were not fake, not forced, and time spent in genuine enjoyment with my spouse.

Then there were other times (some of which I remember with crystal clarity), that I was "with" my XH but not with him in the slightest, mentally or emotionally---such as how I would on occasion text the AP while I was right next to him (XH).

There were moments of each within the past.

Married -> I cheated -> We divorced -> We remarried -> Had two kids -> Now we’re miserable again

Staying together for the kids

D-day 2010

posts: 6490   ·   registered: Mar. 8th, 2010   ·   location: USA
id 6318288
default

meplusfour ( member #38958) posted at 12:55 AM on Wednesday, May 1st, 2013

Like you, I struggle with memories concerning vacations, holidays and just everyday recollections about my past with WH. As background, WH had a LTA (four years) with OW. Initially, it seemed that all of my memories had been touched, that nothing was what it really seemed.

Recently, memories seem to be less painful. I find that focusing on a different aspect of the memory can take some of the sting away. For example, during our family vacation to Maui, instead of thinking about WH, I "zoom" in on the faces of my children when we were playing on the beach. Or when we were lounging on deck chairs, I recall the blue of the water, the whales in the distance and the swaying of the palm trees, instead of WH who was sitting beside me. If I can focus on something else, I can reclaim those memories. Obviously, this does not work for every memory but it allows me to enjoy certain memories.

I agree with doesitgetbetter's comments about the WH. WH swears that he was genuinely happy and in the moment, but I remain skeptical.

((liberty))

BW (me)42
WH 44
3 daughters, 1 son
Married 10 years, together 13
DDay 3/14/2013, four year PA
In R
"Sometimes you have to accept the fact that certain things will never go back to the way they used to be."

posts: 438   ·   registered: Apr. 11th, 2013   ·   location: Canada
id 6318415
default

LosferWords ( member #30369) posted at 1:12 AM on Wednesday, May 1st, 2013

At first, I felt like all the moments and pictures were tainted. A lot of them still are. Has your WH provided you with a timeline? Having the timeline helped me choose which memories I wanted to remain as positive, and which ones I wanted to trash. Some folks on here prefer to mentally scrap all of their memories, and start anew. I didn't really view that as an option, since the A spanned our entire time together, so I have been going through the process of choosing which memories are "safe". It's entirely up to you, how you decide to heal and mentally process these memories.

posts: 31109   ·   registered: Dec. 11th, 2010
id 6318434
default

27yearsnowlost ( member #38787) posted at 1:27 AM on Wednesday, May 1st, 2013

Thank goodness I'm not the only one that feels this way. Me and my WH take cruise every year. I found out the he had oral sex from someone he hire off of Craigslist 2 weeks before our cruise then a week after. He was going for a third but I found the texted.

I Look at the pictures of him smiling and all I see is " if you only know what I'm doing behind your back after being together for 28 years". I can't even thing I can cruise again without triggers.

Bw (me) 47
WH (him) 59
D day 3/7/2013
Married 26 together 28
2 adult sons 25 and 22

posts: 167   ·   registered: Mar. 22nd, 2013   ·   location: nj
id 6318457
default

Daisy312 ( member #36813) posted at 1:49 AM on Wednesday, May 1st, 2013

We are one year out and I feel all of my memories during his 7 mo affair are tainted.he swears he didn't think of her and was really with me when we were together but I find this hard to believe when I know there were times he texted ap in front of me. I also know there were times we spent together after he had slept with her. He was not mentally with me during those times.

posts: 324   ·   registered: Sep. 12th, 2012
id 6318491
This Topic is Archived
Cookies on SurvivingInfidelity.com®

SurvivingInfidelity.com® uses cookies to enhance your visit to our website. This is a requirement for participants to login, post and use other features. Visitors may opt out, but the website will be less functional for you.

v.1.001.20250404a 2002-2025 SurvivingInfidelity.com® All Rights Reserved. • Privacy Policy