Originally Posted By: Goodfight
DDay, how long did it take for your (x)W to come to her senses from the time you separated? Even as far as talking.


That is hard one to answer. Fully: the fabled minimum 18 months.

However, (x)W I never got the "I love you but I'm not love with you" shpeah, infact the opposite, a full on "I still love you". After hostile 6 months last new years, she came forth wanting to work then, but balked. There were still too many issues from the M and one wrong word from either of us blew everything apart.

From there on, the D ensued. But every 3-4 months we'd talk, get civlized with one another but then again, the wrong thing would be said and back to silence we went.

The whole time, I could tell she wasn't happy with who she was, how she was living and where things were headed. She just didn't have the courage or strenght to stand up and take responsibility for what she had done.

Finally, the light that needed to shine came. And (x)W proclaimed, some things are worth fighting for. I know we're long haul now because that also meant potentially driving a wedge between her and her father.

What was the light?

I didn't care anymore about the marital problems. After all, we divorced, they're over. Some will say a divorce is simply a piece of paper. Not to us. That's why the last little bit of issue we have is in fact the D, not so much it happened, but the nasty things along that occured while it happened. But once all the issues of the M were laid to rest and the smoke cleared, she still loves me, and I still love her. And that is what made it all happen.

And as I've said, we've learned how to effectively communicate with each other so wonderfuly now after all this. Even when we do upset each other now, we do so in a non-damaging way.

So, when the you did this and you did that's can be laid to rest and you can effectively communicate, your relationship will get so much better, no matter what it's outcome.

I simply went the approach "I don't care anymore about the M problems, they're over. We have 2 kids to raise the best way we can. I gave you what you want". And from there, we were kinder to each other and talked more, and that underlying love festered. For those that still have that, then R is a sure possibilty. For those that lost that, at least co-parenting is not problem. And for those that can't forgive and accept, the hostility will continue on until one of you dies, and probably long beyond that.


Me 35/XW 33
S13 & S12
M: 10/17/98
OM & S: 07/08
D final 06/09/09
12/03/09 - 06/13/10 "Piercing"
06/13/10: Engaged to Re-marry 10/17/10
06/25/10: Expecting baby #3 2/14/11