Skip to main content

Recent Posts

1
Our Community / Links/Blogs/Articles for us all to share 10
« Latest by Nas on Today at 06:32:19 PM »
I like this take:
https://psyche.co/ideas/true-resilience-is-not-about-bouncing-back

Bold emphasis is mine:
“I find resilience talk cowardly. It makes pain tidy. It replaces responsibility with admiration. Praising endurance is easier than changing conditions
The language we use matters. When we tell people to be resilient, we ask them to stay the same. When we talk about recovery, we invite change. One hides pain; the other honours it.…”

🎵 https://youtu.be/NRI5fDAtw5s?si=BhxwqM4tJqnuF4Po
2
Our Community / Full Moon Alert VII
« Latest by UrsaMajor on Today at 04:58:39 AM »
New Moon tonight (or last night depending on where you are on the planet....)

==================================

Tonight is the New Moon in the sign of Taurus bringing with it a very intense period of new discoveries and new awakenings. Truths will be spoken and what was hidden will now be uncovered. So much of what has been suppressed is coming to the light, This New Moon is about truth and seeing what is really there and not what we want to see.
Tonight's New Moon is a good time to commit to personal goals that express the positive energies of the sign of the Bull. It's time to enjoy life's simple and physical pleasures, savor good food and enjoy activities that bring us in touch with nature and with our bodies. It's time to stop and smell the roses and to become more aware of what makes us feel comfortable and secure. With this potent Taurus energy, we have the chance to make important changes in our lives. It's time to make some solid yet realistic plans and to set the stage for reaping the rewards from our new beginnings.
This will be an emotional New Moon, Your feelings may become overwhelming, you may feel a flood of different emotions all coming at you all at once, you may even find yourself becoming empathic and feeling others emotions. We may find that we have been carrying around a lot of heavy emotional energy that belongs to our friends, lovers or relatives and we will need to recognize that it is time to try to off load it and to stop feeling responsible for how other people feel.
The New Moon is about strengthening our sense of security. It is a time for re-evaluating our relationship with money and possessions and to figure out what it is that truly makes us happy and fulfilled. It's a time for considering new ways of increasing our income or earning power. We should be concentrating on what it is we can do to increase our own feelings of self-worth. We are asked to get in touch with what it is that we truly value and want in our lives and to part with those things or situations that are not contributing to our feelings of worthiness. This includes identifying those things that give us a false sense of security.
This is a time for getting back to to nature and seeing the beauty all around us at the moment, trees are full with foliage, flowers are starting to open up and bloom, fields are lush and green, days are bright and warm, birds are singing. Look at the beauty in our lives and be grateful for all you have. Try to stay positive and steer clear of negativity, look at the good things in your life and look at how to improve the bad things. Taurus gives us strength so now is a good time to get any tough jobs done you may have been putting off.
Use this New Moon to grow both materialistically and spiritually. Nature is giving us so many gifts at the moment don't be afraid to take them and to dream of bigger and better things, ask for more, do more, be more. Look at what may be holding you back and get rid of it. This is a powerful time of healing and cleansing our spirits, to release the old and stale energy to allow a new and more positive energy in.

3
Our Community / Need a little support
« Latest by MadLuv on May 17, 2026, 11:29:27 PM »
I’m so sorry and I totally understand why you are spinning as this takes years to settle into and you haven’t had that truly. It’s a good step to see a therapist and talk your way through so you can clear your head a bit. Also, google any questions you have ruminating. The one thing I do appreciate. About AI is it pulls from so many documented sources and gives you some answers to your questions that even a therapist can’t do. It can be very helpful like journalling.

I agree with the others that when they leave they are not the person we knew. When you can truly absorb it that helps. I think we all hope for all our questions to be answered and we can hang on to that hope a little to long, but your hope on him giving you that is gone and so you are grieving who he was and your grieving him being gone now. That’s a lot to take in. So give yourself some grace and know thaf you will clear all the confusion and loss with time.
4
Our Community / There can be an XW or XH, but never ex-children
« Latest by MadLuv on May 17, 2026, 11:12:46 PM »
Thank you Title. I’m so sorry you were put through so much with a new baby. It’s always mind-blowing all the different stories. I think the lack of empathy is the hardest to comprehend when your a person of extreme empathy.

My daughter had her third and final child in April. A boy names after her father’s Dad. So she has 2 children that have never met their grandfather. Out kids have no contact with any of their fathers family at all.  It has been over 4 years since his kids have seen him and i think over a year with no communication at all. It’s truly shocking that a father who lost a daughter is not involved with his kids or grandkids. He is a ghost. After 30 years.

One thing I have come to realize is that in order to live that disconnected you really can’t ever truly connect with anything. It has to be a pretty superficial life of numbness.
5
Our Community / Need a little support
« Latest by AllieKat on May 16, 2026, 03:38:43 AM »
Thank you so much!!! All of you❤️


I am seeing 2 therapists and the one is familiar with MLC so that is helping me. Its not about dwelling or not moving on but truth be told I need to understand it better to move into a better place. I will never know of course but educating myself more on it is helping. Maybe its talking to someone who is a professional and is aware of it was key and I’m lucky to have found her.
6
Our Community / Need a little support
« Latest by Standing Strong on May 14, 2026, 11:24:46 PM »
Hi Allie,

I'm sorry you have so much on your plate....... here is my 2 cents  :D

It's so easy for the LBS to forget that their MLC'er is a broken person. Broken. Not fully functional, not partially functional. Broken. No function.
We want to see what we loved, and wonder "where are they?", "will they come back?", "I want one more glimpse of them - the person I loved".
In your case - he passed away before you could even see if he could put himself back together. That is tragic, heck, MLC itself is tragic.

The truth is, no matter if he would have been able to reconstitute himself or not, the exact man you knew was gone the moment he broke.
That is one of the bitter things we discover as LBS: That person, that personality, that unique fingerprint we knew is finished. It will never be THAT person ever again. They have changed from damage - and we change from that same damage.

What I would say is: You loved that man for 24 years........ you were his, and he was yours. It was completely and totally real. No question.
The break which is MLC produces something else, someone else.
When you look at all he did towards the end - that isn't the man you knew, is it? No it isn't. I'm sure the earlier version would be aghast if he could have looked and seen the later version.
So you see, you had the best, you had his best, and he had yours....... that was your time, and that was love.

You aren't saying goodbye to the broken human, you're saying goodbye to the husband you remember, and loved.
That's why it's so hard. That's why it's so difficult to let go.

Here is your comfort: You remember HIM. You are the only one who does and will, in the way you knew him.
Like an album of pictures, so is your life. You get to take out the photos of him at the end, because those were the broken human.
Look at the good years, the good times, and all you were blessed with....... and smile.
After a time, you will close that book and put it on the coffee table. A while later it'll be on the bookshelf.

New pictures will be made and placed in that book of your life, but always you will be the keeper of memories. There is no reason to honor the broken human, but there's every reason to remember the person from before.  :)

Take care sweet AllieKat,

-SS

7
Our Community / Need a little support
« Latest by zartheit on May 13, 2026, 09:44:27 PM »
Quote
I understand but I think his death makes it harder. Im still the wife but now the widow so its like grief all over again or maybe it never stopped. So instead of just being hurt I was blindsided and left now its those plus he died tragically.

It does. All of these land likes blows and each one further complicates your experience. Can you be upset? Are you allowed to be mad? Does it undermine the sorrow, and the loss? How does the complete mindfiretruck of it factor in? Is the remembered joy undermined by the blindsiding? And where does this level of complete bafflement come in?

Quote
at this point I just cant imagine loving anyone lime I did him for 24 years

Don't give oxygen to that side of your imagination. That framework has co-opted a string of events into a net that you are now trapped inside of. You've essentially thought yourself into feeling that you are cut-off from love, joy, and happiness. While that may feel true, you will not feel like this forever. I can guarantee that you will not feel like this forever.

You are grieving. Your grief is immense. For me (and I imagine for you as well) it was fractal, seemingly boundless and without any handholds. It tumbled into and ran over me. But as overpowering as it was, I could still feel the warmth of the sun on my face, or the subtleness of the tea on my tongue, or the cool of the forest. I enjoyed peeling an orange, seeing it spritz the air before then smelling it. I listened to dirges, solo pianists, and ambient music and sobbed until my chest felt like I had been working out, and also somehow felt gratitude for the music being able to hold me so effectively. All of these feelings somehow co-existed. There was space for everything and everything in its own place. This is not to minimize the loss but instead an effort to help you recognize your ability sit with it, in it, as it.
8
Our Community / Need a little support
« Latest by AllieKat on May 13, 2026, 03:09:56 PM »
I understand but I think his death makes it harder. Im still the wife but now the widow so its like grief all over again or maybe it never stopped. So instead of just being hurt I was blindsided and left now its those plus he died tragically. I feel like just stopping isn’t helping me either. Maybe its just time I need but at this point I just cant imagine loving anyone lime I did him for 24 years
9
Our Community / Re: Onward and Upward is better than Rinse and Repeat!
« Latest by Sam I Am on May 13, 2026, 12:44:19 PM »
Dang folks....it has been nearly a year since I last posted.  Nothing has changed for the better for him, but I can't believe how fast that time went by!

At this time, I am 8.5 years into this.  Looking back...I couldn't imagine reaching this point.   Early on I was convinced that I would be one of the lucky ones and he would be back early.

Nope.  Not the case and that is ok.   I needed this journey and I am lucky to be where I am.

I have family and friends and support from people around me.   I spend time with my grand kids and my daughter and I get to visit my son who now lives across the country.  My son acts as if he father has died.   His knew friends all think his father is dead.  I guess this is because H is dead to S after their blow up! 

Life is good.  Always a bit stressful but it is good stress.  Making sure I am attending events with the kids and balancing time for myself to hang with friends and/or play pickleball.

My plate is full in so many ways and I am really truly happy!

As for him.....well I have no idea how his life is going.

Up through the fall of last year, he seemed to be getting closer.  More visits.  More phone calls.  Just more interactions overall.  I knew it wasn't real but I rode it out.    Suddenly, he fell off the face of the earth.  I now go months without hearing from him.  In a way it is very peaceful.  In other ways, he is aggravating.

Example:  At Christmas, he was included in the dates and times of holiday events.   He notified my daughter that he would stop by after he got off work on Christmas Eve.   He no showed.  We all thought he worked late.   Nope.  He told my granddaughter on Christmas day that he didn't show up because I didn't invite him.   Oh boy.    I nicely but firmly called him out on his BS.  Advised him that he told D several times he would be there.  He essentially RSVPd.  Why would I send him a special invitation?   He is not Charlie Bucket.   He is not getting a Golden Ticket to the Chocolate Factory after he verbally committed to coming to supper.   No apologies for being a $h!te about it.   Just....oops.  I thought too much into it.   

Then he was a no show for New Years and Easter too.   At least he didn't blame me on those occasions.

He hardly ever shows up for the kids events and when he does he hardly talks to anyone.  I personally don't go out of my way to talk to him either.   If he has something to say, I will listen.  Otherwise, go disappear as you have been doing for the last 6 months and leave me in peace. 

He did say something about the grandkids a few weeks ago.  My daughter sent us a meme about how important grand parents are in the grand kids lives....he wrote back:  " I know I should be doing more but I just can't make myself get up and do it".

No idea what it is means.   It was an odd response to me.

I hope all of you are doing well and taking care of yourselves.   All is gonna be ok.  Just keep moving forward as much as you can!

~Sam~

10
Our Community / Re: This who I am is not for you
« Latest by marvin4242 on May 11, 2026, 08:08:34 PM »
I wanted to give a quick update. Since I spoke to my friend a while back and suggested therapy he actually found someone and engaged. And it seems he is doing much better, he seems to be discovering things about his own patterns and childhood and making healthy and positive changes. That is a very pleasant surprise, because so many of these "stories" go the way we all know too well.

He is probably going to get a divorce but honestly this would be a divorce for the right reasons rather than "running away" or trying to find "happy."

Legal Disclaimer

The information contained within The Hero's Spouse website family (www.midlifecrisismarriageadvocate.com, http://theherosspouse.com and associated subdomains), (collectively 'website') is provided as general information and is not intended to be a substitute for professional legal, medical or mental health advice or treatment for specific medical conditions. The Hero's Spouse cannot be held responsible for the use of the information provided. The Hero's Spouse recommends that you consult a trained medical or mental health professional before making any decision regarding treatment of yourself or others. The Hero's Spouse recommends that you consult a legal professional for specific legal advice.

Any information, stories, examples, articles, or testimonials on this website do not constitute a guarantee, or prediction regarding the outcome of an individual situation. Reading and/or posting at this website does not constitute a professional relationship between you and the website author, volunteer moderators or mentors or other community members. The moderators and mentors are peer-volunteers, and not functioning in a professional capacity and are therefore offering support and advice based solely upon their own experience and not upon legal, medical, or mental health training.