Take the hits and keep moving forward.

[Papa4Life]

I agree with azguy, T1000. She went out and tested the waters and discovered that maybe she already had what she wanted before she left.

And do you think it might be possible that she also questioned what she missed out on by not, as you put it, having "lived her life like she should have"?

Look, sexual jealousy is part of human nature. It's why we invented the institution of marriage: the promise that we would remain faithful to our spouse. So while I can understand how you're feeling, I would urge you to consider that this is not something she did TO YOU. Maybe she really needed to feel that freedom and explore her possibilities. Being able to do that seems to have opened her eyes to the fact that she wasn't trapped in your M, but that she could choose for herself what she wanted, and it seems like she realizes that what she wanted all along was you. It doesn't make any of us less of a man if our Ws decide to experiment when they're in this sitch. It's no fun, to be sure, but it's part of detaching at this time.

I don't know if this helps, and I apologize if you feel like I'm taking her side or scolding you. That's NOT my intention. I just want to let you know that, as I see it, you don't have to take this as some kind of blow to your pride. On the contrary, as even your wife seems to be coming to realize, you are the prize and (as she knows from being given the freedom to figure out for herself) others are mere pretenders to the throne. So don't let the male ego cloud the fact that nyou're making progress and you have a real chance of restoring your M.