Newby here, desperate for some advice (thread 4)

[ForGump]

... and those who look at and focus on what their partner isn't.

And why do they focus on what's missing from their partners? I think that's an important question to ask.

The answer is that there are some people who are fundamentally unhappy and/or feel empty inside in some significant way. Lacking that ability within themselves, they look outside themselves to be happy. If they're not feeling happy inside, they blame the external world for their unhappiness -- in our cases, the imperfect husbands who leave their goddam dirty socks around everywhere.

The tragedy is that once the hapless hubbies are replaced, there is a brief honeymoon period, then the cycle repeats itself. Meanwhile, young kids bear the brunt of this human condition.