In my H's case, the "awakening" came after he'd been in Replay for almost 2 years. ............. some days he'd feel as though he wanted to get closer to me and end the EA, and other days the fogged-out part of his brain would be in control ("What exactly is wrong with my friendship anyway?"). ............After this Awakening he broke up with his EA, which precipitated a deep depression and withdrawal from me and the children. .................He cycled more and more rapidly, sometimes starting to walk towards me for a hug and changing his mind before he had taken 3 steps............... Very, very slowly, he began to become more human and less alien, though it was about 7 1/2 months from the awakening until he decided to work on our marriage and end the EA. Even then, it was another 7 months until he stopped mourning her loss in his life, and another half a year or more before he was able to process what he'd done and accept responsibility for it--and, more importantly, to forgive himself.
Cyrena, thank you for sharing your story with us. I have read many of your posts over the past 2 years. This overview of your experience helps to put a "face" on the vague descriptions of MLC stages and timelines we've all read. Thank you!
I too would be interested in hearing others' experiences with the "Awakening" transition.
