Keep Wearing Wedding Band?

[ForGump]

I think what CT1118 probably meant was that we should not reach out to family & friends for direct help w/ our situation. I too have gotten some emotional support from close friends, and I appreciate what they gave me. Their support constitutes mainly of just listening to me and physically being there for me, meeting up with me and occasionally shed a tear. But in terms of how to chart these dark waters ... they cannot really help me because although they feel a lot of sympathy for me, they don't have any experience or wisdom about D and DB.

I have been tempted and curious what influence my W's family and friends could have on her. Early on I had some expectation that they'd impart some wisdom -- and, to be sure, a few, very few, have expressed some healthy ideas to my W -- but the vast majority are echo chambers and limp noodles, and one or two are fire-setters.

I think CT1118 and we are all in agreement that the focus should be ourselves. But I also reject the prevailing culture in our part of the world that a M is just a piece of paper or it's just between two people. I think, for better or for worse, like it or not, M is a social/cultural/economic/legal/(and for some, religious) phenomenon, and it's overly simplistic to say, "Oh well, it's between the two of you, you guys do what you want." But I digress...

A friend who doesn't know W ... hauled me back from the brink more than once before I made a stupid mistake.

Would you care to list some of those stupid mistakes you avoided?

Thanks.