Thanks Job and Sotto for your wise and kind words. This board was my lifeline when I felt simply shattered. It was here that I could listen to others and feel accepted when I couldn't accept myself.

I wish there were more stories of reconciliation. I realize they exist but I also think MWD wrote a chapter on MLC that gently prepared us for a future on our own. It really is the only way to survive. MLC doesn't leave the LBS much to work with and the situation often takes years on the rollercoaster. Not many people can tolerate years of chaos with no end in sight.

While it seems like most MLCer's don't return to their family in a traditional way - Many of us LBS's have grown in ways we never imagined. That GAL becomes kind of a self fullfilling prophecy.

Checking in and reflecting on your stories is a GAL hall of fame!

M:25 years at BD w/ 2 daughters
BD: 5/14
Separated 6/14 - H moved cross country w/OW
D Final 9/17

“I can be changed by what happens to me. But I refuse to be reduced by it.”
― Maya Angelou