Maybell XXV: Moving Toward the Lighthouse

[Maybell]

This was on Poirot's thread:

watching Joel Osteen on TV. He's talking about letting go and moving forward. I'm not religious... but I like and recommend him. "You may have had an unfair past... but you don't have to have an unfair future. Move forward." Good stuff.

I learned a few days ago that one of my uncle's has just been diagnosed with a second round of cancer, and this time it is definitely terminal. There are pictures of my cousins celebrating what is likely his last Christmas with him that look really happy.

Twenty? years ago this uncle had an affair and divorced his first wife (my cousins' mom) in a VERY acrimonious divorce. So acrimonious that my cousins had to have separate wedding arrangements to accommodate both their parents. So acrimonious I've never seen or heard from my former aunt since.

In a statistics-defying turn of events, my uncle married the OW, helped raise her two young children, and had two more children with her. She's by his side now, for his final Christmas. When I was a kid, his rages terrified me. He looks like a different man now. And is clearly dearly loved by all six kids and all the grandkids.

My youngest uncle also was divorced by his party-animal first wife (no kids). He was so crushed. Married a few years later the BEST woman and is still living happily ever after today.

Endings can open doors to amazing beginnings.

I've had a rough day. Big BD sobs bubbling out of me from time to time all day and I'm not sure what I'm crying over. Though I have made up my mind that it's time to move forward, to tell him we need to separate the finances and prepare to sell the house. I'm done playing lady of the manor. I want to be myself.