I told my H recently that I'm surprised he likes me, because there was a time I was giving him my best and it wasn't enough, but now I'm depressed and sulky all the time and he seems to see something in me anyway. He agreed that he likes me how I am but didn't make any comments on it after.
In the silence, I'm left wondering if my "best" was stuff he didn't like. Offering physical intimacy. Cooking for him and trying to make good food. Being warm and open and high energy. Being a good listener.
Now I'm feeling withdrawn and sad, not cooking as much anymore if at all, often don't listen when he's talking and don't answer as much either (walking on eggshells when I do answer), and have stopped initiating sexual intimacy. I just can't, not when it wasn't enough before, not when he was rejecting what I was offering in favor of the OWs. But he seems …happier?
Does that mean my "best" was the exact opposite of what he wanted? WTF I am so confused. He prefers me silent, non-sexual, depressed, and not a great housekeeper? But then, I need to think more about what/who I want to be, and right now that's difficult. I'd be happy to not hurt anymore.
I often ask myself if I gave too much, tried to be too pleasing and didn't value myself enough in the past. I guess when you don't value yourself enough, your partner doesn't either.
I don't know this, of course.
I'm now more "selfish," have a lot less to give and WW seems more attracted to me. Weird.
She explained it this way. She said that seeing me try to stay with her after what she did showed her how much I love her and she values that.
It feels really, really backwards.
Or mYbe he just realised he was being an arse
One of the things wh did was to berate me for most everything. Now that chickie is out of the picture, he has started questioning why I don't do certain things. DUH!
I used to be low-maintenance (still am mostly).
I used to verbalize appreciation. Those days are long gone as he told me he didn't think I was sincere.... come to find out he just felt tremendous guilt!
I used to check in with him on my plans, his plans, etc.... Now I just announce my plans.
He's getting left-overs now along with a hefty dose of "don't look at me cross-eyed or I'll hefty bag your belongings". He's wisely keeping his mouth closed and still trying to work us out.
I'm sounding pretty bitter these days which sucks because I see him trying. Maybe I am a revengeful witch? I'm shooting for strong and confident - I just don't know if strong and confident can include him in my life.
Lawyers involved.
He's one fucked-up puppy.
Married Aug/95 DDay Nov/12 Separated Mar/13 Finally divorced Jul/17
The best thing about hitting rock bottom is that everything after that looks fucking fabulous!
I feel like my ex's A happened when I was at my best in our relationship.
I honestly believe he felt I was far superior than him and he resented that. It is one of the few reasons I can think of why she was more appealing than me - she barely graduated high school, worked shitty, minimum wage jobs, had no money, mooched off family, could barely spell in her texts and every other word was the "f" word (small vocabulary)... It goes on and on. She was very different than me in all ways.
I think my ex had self esteem issues. Actually I know he did as I had seen them manifest itself in many ways prior. I think he felt inferior to me and my accomplishments and liked being around her because he felt superior to her.
He prefers me silent, non-sexual, depressed, and not a great housekeeper?
And never grow a wishbone, daughter, where your backbone ought to be. ― Sarah McMane
My fWH says he wants his old wife back. I don't even know who that is anymore. Oh well new wife is here to stay!
Mine grins and says "I got my wife back". No he didn't. The person that he married is long gone and she is NOT coning back.
Both feet pointed forward; positive
..what occurred to me when I read your post was the well known concept of women who go after the BAD BOY type of man who treats women like crap and seem to not give a shit about the woman's feelings ..and conversely, the men who chase after the bitchy, selfish, full of themselves, high maintinance women.
..it goes against common sense I know, but being too nice, too giving, too available, backfires..
..being too easy makes them lose respect for us.. they don't have to make any effort and we still bend over backwards to please them.
..I was working my first job and buying my gf red fox fur coats and gold rings and bracelets... while she was off servicing my bff at the same time!
..I should have treated her like shit and maybe we wouldn't be in this mess now.
..bfOM riled her, pissed her off, put her down all the time... and she ate it up, all while I was giving her everything.. how stupid do I feel???
..doesn't pay to be Mr. Nice Guy... took me 40 years to learn it!
smy
[This message edited by somanyyears at 3:59 PM, March 17th (Monday)]
Could it be that he prefers distance over intimacy?
This is probably it exactly, NIK. And it makes me really sad to imagine all the things he went through in his life to get him to that point.
I told him last night that he seemed so happy with the OWs and the thing I kept wanting to know was what I was lacking and what I could do to make him just as happy. He claimed that he wasn't happy with anyone. I think that's half-true: deep down he wasn't happy in life, but in the moment of the interactions, I know he was having a ball with them. But then, distance… Maybe he finds it easier to flirt and mess with people who he doesn't have a deep connection to, because then he can walk away whenever he wants. So he separates the people who he can have carefree sexually-charged interactions with from the "woman he makes a home with". I've heard the stereotypes around it before, I had just wanted to know how we could enjoy both together. I don't think he will ever willingly take down the walls on that.
He views our sex life as precious because we had a baby together. Yet when I ask him what he likes about "just us", he gets angry and offended and says I'm discounting our son and that there's nothing higher. I get it… I accept that to him there's nothing greater than having a kid with someone, and that he did it with me is proof to him that I'm special or "his best". And he's deeply hurt that I want more. Maybe I want too much.
It bothers me that he could see other women as sexual people and he could enjoy them (and their interactions) fully for themselves, but not me. For him with me, sexuality = motherhood, not sexuality in itself. And for him that's an honor. He told me to let go of expectations and dreams I want that he can never fulfill and to stop trying to change who he is. He's absolutely right. I'm glad he called me on it, because it wasn't fair to him that I was trying to make him into a different person. I wasn't trying to shame him; I just wanted what he'd given the other women, and I was selfish to want that. It's not something he can ever give me.
Unfortunately, that also means there's a part of myself I can never give him, because he will never try to receive it. So I'll keep it to myself, and I think we've both finally agreed it's time we stop talking about it.
[This message edited by silverhopes at 4:55 PM, March 17th (Monday)]
