Well here's mine

[Barkley]

Thanks Coach....I don't want to read her letter becuase I am too embarrassed. I will read my response though. Please tell me what you think:

I have read over your letter numerous times and even though we discussed somewhat the other evening, I felt like I needed to respond in writing after getting my thoughts together. For the first time, I think I truly understand where you are coming from. I always knew that I fell short as a husband and father sometimes, but when you put it all on paper, it really hits home. Please try and remember, as ridiculous as it sounds, that the severity of the whole situation honestly took me by surprise. Until February 2010, In spite of my shortcomings I honestly thought that you were happy with your life, our marriage, and our family.

When “the “done” bomb was dropped, I looked back over the last year and thought, even though I did need to change, that it couldn’t be “all” me. In my mind you had been showing all of the classic signs of a mid-life crisis for months (going out until 2-3 in the morning once or twice a week, new boobs, excessively working out, etc.). Many of our friends noticed the changes in your behavior as well which further helped me rationalize this line of thinking. I thought that by permanently stopping my drinking and helping out more around the house that I could fix the situation. When we weren’t getting any positive results, I got frustrated and a million different things started to go through my mind. I truly started to believe that this was more a MLC than anything and that another man might even be involved. As such, if others chose to believe along the same lines, I let them run with it. Who wants to be the “bad guy” right? In any event, after hearing your letter and talking more the other night, I now realize that you were simply trying to get away from the unhappiness and pain that I had caused you over many years. I have been negligent, immature, and selfish, throughout our marriage. When we made our vows, I promised to “Love, Honor, and Cherish” you. I have always loved you, but have fallen WAY short in the honor and cherish part. I understand that you are human, and that a person can only take so much. This whole mess is a direct result of my actions over the years and I take full responsibility for them. I wish, with all of my heart and soul that I could go back in time and change them, but I can’t. At this point, all I can do is continue to maintain the changes in my behavior I have made and to move forward. I hope and pray that you can forgive me someday.