LW: I think it is truly sad that the courts are so willing to render divorce these days w/o making the couple attempt to work out their differences. If a legal contract is broken, one that is just business, thre are serious repercussions. But if a marital contract is broken, the courts generally just chalk it up to another loss.

I think it is especially hard when their are children involved. I understand that not all marriages work...I was in one of them before I met stbx. But my XH and I did counseling. We tried very hard to resolve the issues, and so when it came time for us to finally chalk it up, we could knowing we had tried. And now, we have a healthy well adjusted D13 because she knows we love her, and that although we are not together, we still work together for her benefit.

Regardless, I think that some kind of marital counseling should be mandatory before a divorce is granted. ESPECIALLY when there are children, and it needs to be more than one hour.

And I think your mother is right. Your W does need to miss you, but you need to let her too wink. Sometimes that can take a long time, but in the meantime life is short. Enjoy yourself. This does not mean you need to date or anything like that, but go golfing, have dinner and drinks with friends, catch a movie. Spend your time doing things you enjoy.

Im still standin better than I ever did looking like a true survivor feeling like a little kid Im still standin after all this time and Im picking up the pieces of my life without you on my mind..