Mlcers tend to wear masks. The happy or all's well in the world masks are worn around outsiders. But, it takes a lot of effort and energy to wear them all of the time.
When it comes to the lbs, they may wear the happy mask for a while, but eventually the mask becomes too heavy and the burden of trying to stay that way wears them down and that's when the lbs begins to see the other side of the mirror image. We are the "safe" ones that they can actually be themselves for the moment.
.....When you can step back and watch the various masks or personalities take place it can become most interesting because it's really not about the lbs at all, but about them and trying to justify their lives as they are now.
B, I think we all wear masks to a certain extent. For example, while my office was aware of my parent's illness no one at the time was aware of my relationship disintegrating. Maybe I was able to mask one with the other, but at work I "acted as if" nothing was wrong.
The MLCers masks, from what I have seen from my xSO is that he does wear it for everyone else. I often wonder if he confides in his GF but somehow, I do not think so. With me, though, ever since on some level he realizes that he hurt me, he wears the sad mask or is it him? I don't trust him, so it may be truly what he is feeling or he does it to play on my sympathies. The big clue is that only I (the LBS) is treated this way. Not even other acquaintances. The wrong kind of special treatment, in my book!
Sigh. But it does not make this any easier nor does it comfort me to know that I am getting the very short straw here. Luckily, I only need a short straw for a cocktail!
