KGirl- I'm new here but I'm struggling with the elevator speech as well. Close, and I mean close friends know. I just struggle with everything/everyone else. There's not a healthy way of putting "my husband bottled up 31 years of emotions and blames all his life problems on me. I don't know if we will work out, doubtful, as I'm apparently the most manipulative woman in the world!"

Makes me sound horrible and him sound, well, I don't know what it makes him sound.

"We are having issues, and my husband chose to leave me to figure it out?" Yuck.

I've kept deathly quiet for the (short) duration of my stitch because I'm worried about what others will think. My marriage is on the rocks, and I'm worried about a random coworker who I see maybe once a month giving me a pitying look at the holiday party. WTF? I need to let go as well.

As for everything else - I think you've been handling it with poise and grace. I don't think that giving up means you're just like him. Perhaps you're letting yourself be free - in whatever since that might bring you.

M:32,H 32
T:10, M5
BD/H Move Out: 9/2014 - extreme anger
H Mental Illness Diagnosis: 4/15
Served D Papers: 10/15
Divorced: 11/15