[OffRoad]

I have a problem with the question (no surprise). All of my accomplishments as an LBS would have bern the same had I been a widow, or XH had gotten dementia or he had become disabled in some way. Any of those things would have led me to where I am, some maybe even further, but my greatest accomplishment has zero to do with being an LBS. it has to do with being thrown into a situation where the only person who can keep everything from falling apart is me. And that is my greatest accomplishment: when it all came down to me, I was able to prosper, on my own, keep my kids in school, keep my house, find a job, improve my lot in life.

[Nas]

It's funny, for the first maybe 2 years, if someone had asked me to find a benefit in being an LBS, I would have rolled my eyes and said there is NO benefit to any of this horrid situation.

But there is for me.  Because of dealing with MLC and because of all the events of the last few years, I can recognize narcissists, where before, I had a fairly limited idea of what a narcissist really was.  I can now recognize gaslighting immediately....funny, a few years ago, I didn't even know the word 'gaslighting.'
I can recognize projection a hundred miles away. 

Not the kind of benefits I was looking for, but there you have it.  They are actually important skills, as is recognizing when things don't make sense.  They'll serve me well, and at this point, that's all I can ask of life.