To have a Sliding Doors moment?

[BlueBoar]

Posting on another thread got me thinking: what if I had made a different decision to stay in a toxic relationship with a violent and controlling man ten years ago? What would I be doing now? Would I still be with him but doing the work I do now? Would I be crushed and under his control like his current partner? Or would I have somehow managed to make a happy life for myself, DS and any future other children? I’ve never thought about it before but it has got me wondering - what would be different for you if you had gone through the sliding door, or missed the train?

Mine was when my ex decided to stay in the pub rather than come home for dinner (after he ironically told me we were spending enough time together!). I put the laptop on and his most previous facebook conversation came up with his other woman! split up the next day and never looked back. Often wonder if he had cone on time how long he would have let that carry on!

Sliding doors is one of the worst films ever made. Just saying :)

If I hadn't texted my school friend on the Wednesday, she wouldn't have texted back early on Sunday morning to invite me to lunch ... where I met my husband (her BIL) for the first time. Within 18 months I was married and living in a city 200 miles from my home town, with teenage stepchildren

I met my wonderful late husband because my ex had dumped me and I couldn't afford my rent, so I got a bar job for extra cash in a working men's club run by ex's uncle. DH was a committee member. If I hadn't known the uncle I would never have worked there or met DH.

I met my DP at a party which I nearly didn’t go to.

I’d been invited by a friend at the time but she was quite hard work after a few drinks which I wasn’t sure I fancied dealing with (I always sobered up very quickly when peeling her off the floor after she’d had 3 large wines ).

But I did go and met him and we’ve been together 12 years. My life would be very different if I hadn’t gone!

Met my partner OLD, we were having our first date on the Saturday - table booked in a restaurant etc. But he was worried that he would have to work instead (rumours going round the office that two of them were being sent on a job for the weekend) so we arranged for a last minute pub date on the Thursday after work incase Saturday fell through.

I didn't think it came to much, didn't feel a spark and thought he wasn't all that interested in me. Then he texted me on the Saturday morning asking if I was still free for the date, I ummed and ahhed because it seemed a bit of a waste of time but in the end decided to go.

Turned out he was just really shy because he really liked me and felt embarrassed because he was in work clothes on the Thursday! Two years later, very happy, very in love ... I sometimes wonder what would have happened if I had of written him off!

@Hingeandbracket

Sliding doors is one of the worst films ever made. Just saying :)

I watched part of it the other week as I loved it when it first came out but I agree - it is awful and has not aged well!

I cant even imagine staying with my ex. It has taken me 4 yrs to undo all the behaviours that I was conditioned to do. Im glad I took that leap to leave. Sparked by a song on the radio!

When I was 18 I went off backpacking in Asia. Towards the end of my stay I met a couple and we clicked. They invited me to stay and travel with them but I declined as I had a uni place back home. I hated university dropped out after 3 months and met my abusive ex. I often wonder what would have happened if I'd had the guts to let my parents down and not gone home to university. Wouldn't have PTSD and anxiety for a start.