'Letter to my husband's lover' from the Guardian

[toysintheattic]

Came across this article from the Guardian:

//www.guardian.co.uk/lifeandstyle/2013/feb/23/letter-to-husbands-lover

I found it really poignant and thought I would share, might help get through difficult times.

[SoleSource]

So a couple of weeks after your birthday, I will turn 50. Single for the first time in 21 years. I have quite a dilemma choosing how to celebrate. If it wasn't a "big" birthday I would probably just let it pass fairly quietly. But I can't escape from the fact that if he was still here, we would be planning something grand. We had talked about a big trip this year; I had been saving up for it. All the options I consider feel like attempts to compensate for my loss and that just magnifies my sadness and loneliness. Some ideas are defiantly grandiose, and could end up feeling hollow and pointless. Either way I feel I am trying to choose based on the absence of him. I need it to be about me.


Yes, it does.

[SpringyReframed]

Allalonenow, thank you for remembering me. It's been a long road but I've got there after three years. .

[Allalonenow]

I remember your story so well Springy I'm so glad for you that things are going well at last and you have started your new life.
Very best wishes

[SpringyReframed]

Gosh, not sure I can answer that question jynier., well not without a novel's worth of back story anyway!

After much pondering I am going to give you one word that sums it up. I want it to be about peace. Peace from all the vileness and peace to enjoy being with my family and friends. Enough peace in my heart too to be able to give something back to them, after they have supported me so much. That applies especially to my youngest DC who has been an absolute rock, having had to live through my recovery.

[jynier]

Springy - You seem very positive and focussed: what is your new life all about?

[SpringyReframed]

Oh, what sad stories on here. Yorkshirewoman especially here are some .

I too am packing up my ex marital home, and moving on, but grateful to have got rid of the twunt I was married to, and the OW did a fine job in taking him off my hands. I asked him for a divorce long before I had evidence of OW and he could have walked away then with dignity and the respect of his children in tact but he choose to remain and behave more and more badly towards us all. The relationships with the DC were as broken as they were with me by the time I had my evidence.

I feel incredibly positive for myself about my new life and cant wait to get on with it, when I move. I know I am lucky to feel this way, especially after reading this thread.

However, I am still very sad to keep coming across photographs and other memories of a past family life that imploded. My (adult) DC's won't have anything to do with their DF and whilst that is entirely understandable it still hurts, and he now makes no attempt to contact them. I would be prepared, despite everything, to attend future weddings etc, with Twunt and OW in attendance (if she sticks it out), because I love my children.

[jynier]

yorkshirewoman - I am so sorry for your troubles. Simply don't understand how men can do this to women who love them!

You and I have a lot in common.

Best wishes

[yorkshirewoman]

I am in the same position and have posted on here - but some time ago. I retired two years ago - lecturer alongside my ex - who continued working.
We lived together for 21 years he helped bring up my youngest son.I stumbled on his mobile phone last February - (found out subsequently he had 3 on the go) messaging (44+) a colleague who has was supporting through the Union (he a left wing socialist) how much he loved her. I confronted him - it was 'all my fault for snooping and looking at his phone'. There then followed a very tense few months where, when I tried to talk to him about his quite serious emotional affair - he dismissed me with hand gestures (hand under chin etc) I then found at Christmas that he had started contacting a temporary lecturer on his team. The OW (20 yrs younger) started sending BT txt messages through our house phone which I unfortunately picked up. She an ardent feminist by the way. After the most dreadful scene where it was 'all my fault' again I was called names no women should ever be called. Needless to say this time I packed his stuff and sent him on his way. However, my son who my ex helped bring up (from the age of 3) teaches on the same team in the same College. My ex has put my son through the humiliating experience of teaching both alongside him and his new woman. My ex now treats my son as though they have never met. He has completely cut off all contact with me. It is as though the last 21 years never existed. I can't believe it.
I am about to lose my beautiful home at the age of 65 because my pension will not support me here financially and am beginning to pack my stuff (like you I am crying a lot) My ex and the OW are financially secure and about to buy a house together.
On top of this he is circulating completely dreadful stories about me and my children.
He comes from a very wealthy middle class family and I, although an academic, clawed my way up from the working classes. Apparently for some reason that has given him the right to call my family the 'scumbag family' not only to me but to members of his close family who now believe I am the most evil nasty woman walking.
My world has totally imploded and I am finding it v difficult to remain positive. Thank god that my sons and my family are supporting me because without them I don't think there would be a reason to carry on.
What I am most afraid of is ending up a bitter and twisted woman.

[Mrscaindingle]

This really spoke to me too, having a very emotional day, stbxh has been here for a week seeing DS2 and after a lot of wrangling and pedantic fuckwittery from him has eventually signed the financial agreement.
It was all very awkward and horrible and he has now gone off to the airport to fly back to OW. I am up to my neck in cardboard boxes as am moving house tomorrow and just sat and howled in the kitchen for a good couple of hours. For the first time DC saw me crying didn't even have the energy to go out in the car like I usually do.
Its just so hard and although I am generally in a better place days like today bring it all back again.
I am sooo tempted to send that to OW or ex but won't as I have at least maintained my dignity and don't want them to think that I give a toss.

[jynier]

Thanks, heyday. Wanted to know if life had improved for the women who were betrayed.

[heyday]

I can imagine the almost unbearable pain that so many people on here have spoken about. Don't statistics state that 1 in 7 men are cheating? ( women not too far behind either)... This means that so many of us are being cheated on without any knowledge whatsoever. If figures are accurate of course. I wonder if it's worse to be cheated on but be totally oblivious and life carries on pretty much as normal or to to find out and face all this anger/pain and often, the financial hardship. I have been 'hit on' by so many married men, most of whom seemed to be in perfectly reasonably relationships with partners so couldn't even blame an unhappy marriage on their wayward behaviour. I find it hard to trust any man really which I know is sad and also unfair but it's what life has taught me. I hope that in time the wounds will heal for you. Betrayal is a terrible thing.

[jynier]

My post was in response to a Zombie Thread Alert which declared this is/was a dead thread (alarmingly red with capitals). Want to know if anyone has recovered from betrayal?

[jynier]

Yes! Want to know how it all worked out for the very hurt women.

[debtherat]

This is a wonderful letter - so poignant. At least - small consolation - she has loved and still does. Can't help thinking her OH and OW are just indulging each others egos and shallow sense of self. My OH thinks the love of his life (3 month romance v 25 years of true warts and all love and life) is a precious jewel not to be shared/spoken about and that she is noble to boot not wanted to break up our family - but the damage is done - I am second best and probably always will be even if he re-commits and, it's all my fault of course! I have written lots of letters - angry, bitter, sad - in the past few months - him only one to the "most beautiful woman he has ever met" and a poem to her (password protected on our PC).

Lots of love and light to you and all of us who are not worthy!

[Honeysucklerose]

Amazingly sad but true it happened to me 22 years ago you dont forget the pain it causes in your heart and especially your children, thanks.

[Saltpig]

I'm still grieving 2 years on. Nothing like the first trauma but it's still there. I can't see myself ever loving someone else like I loved my ex h.

I'm happy, have a good job, lovely DC's. But the future, my future, isn't the one I wanted.

If I were to write such a letter I honestly don't know what I would say. OW has the love of her life and that's something we all want. I'm between hating her, blaming her, wishing her the worst - and letting it go.

[Skyebluesapphire]

they all do it. as soon as their head is turned, they rewrite history to give them an excuse to go, especially where children are involved.

I grieve for the loss of family life, especially when DD is with him and I am on my own. It's not the way it should be. I should be spending every weekend with my husband and child, not being on my own every other weekend. I grieve for all the things we had planned for the future, the holidays, all the things we were going to do as she grew up.

[bluebeardsbabe]

oh and jynier I also found out a lot of lies were said about me, I guess to make him not look like a bad guy....he pretty much rewrote history and I have no way of defending myself....I've pretty much been put out to pasture!

[bluebeardsbabe]

I am grieving for the family I will never have, it's really hard and I do hope it gets better. I kept hoping that OW was just a flash in the pan but here we are, one year later. I know I too sound bitter etc but it is hard not too when you are the one left with sorrow and a hole in your heart. It is a loooong process I think and everyone processes at their pace.

I also have a little cry every day although blaming breast feeding hormones, lol. Its very harsh when I look at my dd and just wish for even five minutes we could lie on the floor and play with her as a family. Gosh making myself even more depressed!!!

But you know, its nice to know there are others out there who understand.

[Skyebluesapphire]

I divorced my XH asap as I was afraid he would get into debt and have just discovered that he is going for an IVA as he owes £20,000. In less than 12 months, he has managed to build up that much debt.

bbb - I am still grieving, I still love him, although I don't want to. It's almost a year for me too, since he finally left for good. It is getting easier, but I usually still have a little cry each day about something..

[jynier]

Oh! This sounds as if I am bitter and twisted - too f***g right!!! Dreamt about him last night (not unusual) and was asking him why he lied!

bbb - You now have a very important little person in your life; children bring joy and meaning into the world! Treasure her forever and ignore the mutual friends! Best wishes,x

[jynier]

bbb - It is so awful to be rejected; in my case, I have been horrified by the lies and deceit which surfaced 2 years after our separation! Beloved XP's mother died, left him loads of money and I was out on my ear very quickly! He's travelled the world since with OW!

[bluebeardsbabe]

Here's another one who knows exactly how it feels and I feel like I am no closer to healing even though it has almost been a year. Just found out exp and ow got engaged after 8 months together (moved in after 3). All the while I am raising our baby girl on my own. I am tired and feel robbed of the family i thought I would have. I am being slowly erased out of mutual friends lives as they become friends with her. I can't even go out and get pissed and try to momentarily forget it all as stuck at home with dd. feel like my life is a shambles while he is living the high life. It is so tough as I still love him and am still grieving . does it get easier ? I hope so. Maybe we can turn this thread into a bit of a support thread without being called bitter, lol.