“You’ll be fine. You’re still young.”
~ Strangers by Belle Burden ~
Many of you may not know that I am a huge fan of the chick-flic genre, including romantic comedies and made-for-TV Hallmark movies. It won’t surprise anyone in the know that I recently finished this book and could relate to her emotions and her need to understand the reasons behind her divorce after many years of marriage. The author was completely blindsided by her partner’s infidelity and the ultimate need to leave the family. To the reader, it was surprising that there seemed to be a long-term plan in place, one to ultimately break the family apart, one that the author never saw coming until it happened.
The dissolution of any relationship is difficult and, in some cases, can be devastating. Women bear the brunt of these breakups, especially those with young children and young teenagers, especially when the father starts a legal battle over child support payments. The financial drain can be overwhelming on those left behind to care for the children.
What I related to most was the kindness in her words towards her ex; after all, he was the father of her children.
Her book is forward-facing, and she is sharing her side of the story. While her story is deeply respectful and heartbreaking, there is another untold story, that of the other individual. With seventy-eight percent of women asking for divorce, one can also understand why so many men have the same questions about the end of their marriages. Like Belle, many men seem shocked when their relationship ends, and many are completely devastated when it happens. It’s been almost a decade since my own divorce. I have given up getting the answers I needed so much at the time. It’s all water under the bridge.
Sometimes, why will never be answered.
