This month is the month that my fWH had his 2-3month EA with a co-worker.
Like everyone else here; I am tired, drained, frustrated that I still don't feel better and have not fallen "back in love" with the H that is truly remorseful and is doing all he can.
My road block that I need to focus on right now for forgiveness and R....?
How do I get closure with his feelings for the AP? Sure he doesn't feel anything for her now. He is disgusted by her and sees her as a drug.
The issue, when he broke it off. He sent her on her merry way with a "I think the world of you, I think highly of you. I wish things were different and I could get to know you better." Later-an admission to her best friend a month after the A ended "I think she looked beautiful and should leave her boyfriend. and I should have made a move on her" (like her best friend didn't relay that to her)
How do I get over the fact that this leech is out there feeling good about herself because my husband made her feel that way? Thinking that she was all that to him. I don't want her out there feeling good due to him at my expense and pain.
Any ideas? Should I have him write a NC letter explaining how he feels about her now? Even after nearly a year? Any other options, because I know this is a deal breaker for me. I will not get over this particular resentment.
The past is in the past and its not your responsibility to continue to punish your husband....nor the AP ....so long in your recon.
I feel your pain about his comments, but what did she get really. A couple of lame compliments as he sent her packing while he creates a life with you. Talk is cheap and obviously you are the topic of a scorned woman's and her friends conversation. If you weren't the OW friend would have ignored him. She obviously doesn't have a life.
Former 80s Icon wishful thinking
As I write this post my wife is walking my girls to school. Her AP truck is most likely parked between our house and the school. ...he did all last year...speaks to the type of person he is and where he is at on his life's journey.
You and I share almost identical stories...time frame of DD, length of affair, nature of affair.
I am surprisingly ok with this moment.
I am also drained and tired...but in a peaceful way..not an anxious way.
I am about halfway through a book on forgiveness...it teaches about the various types of forgiveness and the realization that forgiveness may not happen, but that acceptance must happen in place of true forgiveness.
I am gaining some good perspective on how I am working and not working on forgiveness.
Your road block is my road block....forgiveness.
About 3 months ago I worked on forgiving myself for my early decision to sacrifice my self worth and esteem in a feeble attempt at keeping my marriage and family together. That was tough...but I did it. Gives me hope I can find the path to forgive my wife.
I still have strong desires to protect my family...still want to engage my wifes AP in unhealthy ways (pretty brutal, primal ways here...no thought of a letter!). This is why I am NOT with my wife and daughters today...it is by my own lack of distance down this path towards the AP that prohibited me from this memorable experience of first day of school drop off.
I will say that I watched a local t-ball game this summer with a friend of mine (his kid playing)...and her AP was in the bleachers....he knew I was there, I knew he was there. And I did NOT have that primal urge to engage. So I am progressing. The big difference then? It was just me...my family did not attend the game with me. Kind of like when I come across a snake in the woods...it might alert me but it does not rattle me. But if my 6 year old is next to me and is not paying attention I engage the situation more earnestly.
Ultimately, it is through saddness that I will get past my anger towards her AP. He has hurt his family (5 kids) in ways that will affect them for a long time, that saddens me...if it leads to divorce in his family...it will affect them for a lifetime, a horrible consequence brought on by his sad decision. My wife has hurt our family in the identical way.
There is nothing to be jealous of here. Neither my wife or her AP gained anything from their actions and lost much. No justification to be jealous for what they "got" out of their choice. No justification to be jealous of who he is. No need to engage our spouses AP's ever. Even if they re-connect with our spouses, it will simply be time for us to move forward on our lifes journey without them.
His choice to do what he did with my wife, combined with where he continues to park and a compromising position I caught him in with another woman NOT his wife after he broke it off with my wife tells me what type of "man" he is....and this is the type of man my wife chose to committ adultery with. This is the facts...and I fully see and accept this. I think in this regard...although it is really puzzling how my intelligent wife could choose such a sub-par man to so radically and quickly committ to and engage with, I think the benefit will be that it is easier to move past him as a substantial part of this. If he actually possessed quality character traits I could see my wifes choices and justifications better...be harder to take him out of the equation like I am doing. Of course, she DID choose him. So I am probably splitting hairs here......my work is to reconcile who my wife is that this was her choice. I am hopeful that she will continue to share her experience, her steps along her journey to figuring out how she made the choices she made, how her views were then and how they changed now, and the significance of those to her....continue to share where she is changing to mend that which is damaged, both within herself and our marriage.
Closure with regards to the AP's is ours to take...not for anyone (our spouses or their AP's) to give us. Do we have the courage to take this? I am working on that....I see you are too.
Hang in there.
God be with us all.
[This message edited by blakesteele at 9:14 AM, August 15th (Thursday)]
Now your best bet is to keep generating self-talk to yourself about the irrelevance of ow, because she really is irrelevant to you.
Self-talk is the way to get over your resentment. Think of it this way - your resentment is hurting you more than it hurts your H or your M, and it doesn't even touch ow. Stop punishing yourself - set yourself free.
[This message edited by sisoon at 8:39 AM, August 15th (Thursday)]
Thank you sisoon.
I probably already knew that, but sometimes the emotional pain just sets us off. I am writing a letter to her now. I will post it here.
You guys are right...I don't want her to think she is important enough for me to still contact her or talk about her.
I am so glad I posted here.
Blacksteele I would freak. That AP is creepy. At least ours was gracious enough to bow out of our lives. I guess I owe her something for backing off, when he made it apparent he wanted me. Wish I could say the same about the friend. But, my H put an end to that too. And rather bluntly. What is the book you are reading? Men like that will get their Karma-old and alone.
Thank you Sisoon. I will do just that more often. I will call it the Sisoon method. "So all he ever gave her was words. She is irrelevant. He chose me. Before, I even found out about the A for certain."
Not through it yet. One of those Books where I'll read a page And have to ponder what I just read.... More of a process then reading it to the end. Kevin?
How can I forgive you.... The courage To forgive , The freedom not to -- Janis Abrahms Spring Not through it yet. One of those Books where I'll read a page And have to ponder what I just read.... More of a process then reading it to the end.
Absolutely. I've read the book twice now, and it took me many months each time. It really requires reflection, and in my case, a bunch of journaling, to really digest and apply it to my own situation.
