InkHulk (original poster member #80400) posted at 4:29 PM on Saturday, June 28th, 2025
D-day was three years ago. Hard to believe. A friend texted me this morning asking how I was handling the antiversary, and I honestly hadn’t even noted it until they asked. And even now with it in my mind it has no real effect on my heart. Thru great anguish, she has been fully excised from my heart. I am free from triggers. I am still sad sometimes, but nothing like the first two years of R attempts.
We have been living under the same roof this whole time. It’s complicated unraveling lives this integrated. It’s kept me with my kids full time and saved some money. But as of Tuesday, we will be living separately. It is bittersweet, but I still hold that it is the least bad option I had in front of me. I am encouraged by my relationship with my kids. I’m dating a wonderful woman who is emotionally mature and it’s incredible. Life looks full of potential, even if I’m no spring chicken.
I cannot say enough about this community. I have thanked you before but to really convey my gratitude I need to just keep saying it. Life changing, life saving, life giving.
To those in the middle of it, it is my hope and prayer for you that you find peace and wholeness again. You are in a perilous position and you need to take decisive action to heal, passivity will not serve you well. I know well the impossible choice and I shame no one for waffling. But my grandfather’s saying "either shit or get off the pot" seems appropriate. Once the trauma abates, choose a path and give it hell. And whether that choice is R or D, I think the best we can do is heal and be a person that reflects our best inner values, even thru the betrayal.
I’ll end with my signature, people are more important than the relationships they are in. Every one of you suffering out there, you are a miraculous spark within the universe. These relationships are meant to make our brief lives a little bit better, not completely destroy them. Don’t let your one precious and wild life be wasted in misery from the evil actions of a betrayer. You can be free of it, I can personally attest to that.
People are more important than the relationships they are in.
Oldwounds ( member #54486) posted at 4:51 PM on Saturday, June 28th, 2025
Reading this update is a really nice way to start the day!
Spring chickens lack our hard earned wisdom, and I think it pairs well with your awesome potential kind sir.
Any healthy path to the other side of infidelity Hell is a great thing, and it sure sounds like you’re seeing some light.
You even offered a person a last chance, even if she didn’t seem to want it.
Standing up for you and your kids, that takes a tremendous amount of strength, but look who we’re talking to — InkHulk!
Good for you, I hope your healing continues!
Married 36+ years, together 41+ years
Two awesome adult sons.
Dday 6/16 4-year LTA Survived.
M Restored
"It is better to conquer our grief than to deceive it." — Seneca
BearlyBreathing ( member #55075) posted at 4:58 PM on Saturday, June 28th, 2025
Great update and a testament to the healing that can happen, even if it looked really bleak at points.
Glad things are going well, and I think you will enjoy living apart from your WS a lot.
Me: BS 57 (49 on d-day)Him: *who cares ;-) *. D-Day 8/15/2016 LTA. Kinda liking my new life :-)
**horrible typist, lots of edits to correct. :-/ **
Lostwings ( member #79902) posted at 6:46 PM on Saturday, June 28th, 2025
Great update !
You give hope to many broken hearted and people who need encouragement, that there is a better life waiting for all of us after experiencing so much pain and hopelessness . A hope that one day we can be happy again , R or D.
I thought it was love at the end of the rainbow , but a banshee came and almost destroyed my pot of gold . In R.
leafields ( Guide #63517) posted at 6:51 PM on Saturday, June 28th, 2025
IH, even when you received some harsh advice, you stayed true to your principles, and I admire you for that. It sounds like things are going well and wishing you all the best.
It is hard to believe it's been 3 years. Looking forward to hearing about living separately goes. Truly, life without my XWH has been so much better.
BW M 34years, Dday 1: March 2018, Dday 2: August 2019, D final 2/25/21
NoThanksForTheMemories ( member #83278) posted at 8:02 PM on Saturday, June 28th, 2025
I'm so glad things are going well for you. My 3-year antiversary is less than half a year away, and I hope I'm doing even half as well as you are by then.
WS had a 3 yr EA+PA from 2020-2022, and an EA 10 years ago (different AP). Dday1 Nov '22. Dday4 Sep '23. False R for 2.5 months. 30 years together. Living separately as of Mar '25.
1345Marine ( member #71646) posted at 11:00 AM on Sunday, June 29th, 2025
I'm really happy for you brother. I'm not posting much as an "old timer" without much to offer to conversation anymore. But I'm still reading and still care about the hurting souls in this forum. And my heart is warm hearing that you charted your course, and it seems to be finally bearing good fruit in your life. I'm continuing to pray for your future and the life you're creating for yourself and your children.
InkHulk (original poster member #80400) posted at 3:44 PM on Sunday, June 29th, 2025
Marine, I feel a bond to you and HINHF that I have to imagine is something like comrades in arms (though I am no veteran and have no intention of stealing valor here). I know you have much wisdom to share, and I also know you have a ton of pain to put somewhere. You do you, but I’d love to hear from you more.
Thank you all for the kind words. I’m honored to be member of this shittiest club of all time.
People are more important than the relationships they are in.
farsidejunky ( member #49392) posted at 5:18 PM on Sunday, June 29th, 2025
That is such an awesome update, IH. You have everything in front of you; keep moving towards it.
“Never make someone a priority when all you are to them is an option.”
-Maya Angelou
WontBeFooledAgai ( member #72671) posted at 6:02 PM on Sunday, June 29th, 2025
I am really happy to hear that you are happily moving on @InkHulk, although I understand the journey to get to the point you are at now was brutal. Onward and upward....
BluerThanBlue ( member #74855) posted at 3:59 PM on Monday, June 30th, 2025
This is a great update, InkHulk!
And I'm not in the least bit surprised that someone scooped you up in the dating market.
You're an asset to this site and you have a lot of valuable insight and advice to offer people who are just starting their journey.
BW, 40s
Divorced WH in 2015; now happily remarried
I edit my comments a lot for spelling, grammar, typos, etc.
grubs ( member #77165) posted at 8:31 PM on Monday, June 30th, 2025
It only gets better from here. I remember wondering around the time I got married again, why I had put up with so much for so little from my first wife. Best of luck as you step free of your ex's failures.