Written by Aunt Becky on CafeMom's blog, The Stir.
While I've often considered a long-term breakup to be quite similar to divorce, there are a number of complications that arise after you've told the government that you're married. This isn't to say that the feelings and the division of property aren't similar, it's just much harder to untangle all the strings when you're getting a divorce.
Here are some of the things people going through a divorce think -- some funny, some tragic, others somewhere in the middle:
1) "Is this the right thing to do?" The act of divorcing can leave us overwhelmed and unsure of what to do.
2) "Is this REALLY the right thing?" I'm getting a divorce, which means that I'm currently questioning everything I do, from painting my nails to tucking my kids into bed.
3) "Well, at least I won't have to deal with his mother (or family, as the case may be) again." Sometimes, there are definite perks to divorce. This may (or may not) be one of them.
4) "I'll never see my in-laws again!" Some of us get along so fabulously with our in-laws that the prospect of losing them may hurt a lot.
5) "How badly are we screwing up our kids?" Parental guilt at its finest. When you're divorcing, make certain that you're doing right by the kids.
6) "Wow -- I get to date again!" Once your marriage is over, you get to participate the newness of the whole dating scene again, and that can definitely be a good thing.
7) "Ugh, I'm back in the dating pool -- AGAIN!" Some of us didn't enjoy dating, so the idea of getting back into the single world leaves us feeling sick to our stomachs.
8) "How can I survive alone?" For those of us who've grown used to relying on having another person around, this can be downright terrifying.
9) "What did I do wrong?" In most divorces, there is no one to blame, but human nature wants us to find fault when faced with a bad outcome. Divorce is no different.
10) "No one will love me again." Divorce plays funny tricks on your mind, sort of like depression. You may feel that your ex was your true love, and that no one will ever love you again.
What other things go through every divorcee's mind?
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