My ex-wife's new relationship broke up. How should I feel about that?

I friend sent me a post written by my ex-wife. 

Apparently she's had another relationship end recently…she mentions that she's uncertain whether the new thing needed to end.  Or something unclear to me. 

How do I feel about this?  I hope she's doing OK.  That will never end.  But, I wish she'd learn to behave in ways that don't hurt other people, and I have no information or reason to believe that the other party in this most recent breakup isn't doing way worse than my ex is.

She and Trump.  Teflon those two.

It would be different if we were still in touch.  I'd definitely try to offer comfort, since I would be privy to her side of the story.  My ex has never been wrong and I never heard her apologize or express shame or guilt.

Typing here as I think about this, here's how I feel: Numb.   

Caveat:  I'm medicated for depression and mood control, so it's not uncommon that I can't identify emotions around the end of my marriage and the abusive treatment I endured for over a decade before the end came the third major time.

I'm sure I was a crappy partner too…my only consolation has been that she's the only person in my life who thinks I'm an asshole, while my ex has a lineup of people who are terrified of her willingness to abandon them, and cause pain.  Or simply wary that she'll try yet again to manipulate them.  That club would likely use the term asshole. 

I don't feel strongly about her asshole-ness.  I don't know her.  I'm only guessing.  She was my family but she was a pretty mediocre family. Now she's vaporware.  

I'm an asshole in the opinion of fewer people than my ex-wife is! (I'm not including people who never met either one of us…my ex wife's Greek Chorus.  That's not knowledge.  It's allowable sexism to bash a bisexual's ex husband. 

I guess in the end I'm sad for the other person.  My ex hasn't shared or reached out or offered a hand or simply asked how I was doing since 2012.  She's explained that she felt cheated by most of our marriage, and that she was therefore justified to have affairs, and open marriage that didn't include me, and to ignore me. 

I just don't think that's true, unless you're Trump or Hitler or something.  She's much closer to those two than I am, so you'll have to ask her what her reasoning is.

But don't mention me, whatever you do. You won't ever hear back

Let me take the high road…I doubt my ex is in pain…she always is right, and she's always in control, so it's unlikely that she's suffering now that her latest relationship has ended.  Should I say I hope she experienced authentic connection, so she can experience grieving for the first time? 

It's a rotten state of mind.  I've had a terrible time with deferred grieving in particular, and it has ruined my wellbeing and mental health. Sending love and empathy to what I presumed is a very angry dumped lover. 

But, suffering is the one truly human thing we all share, at some level.  Perhaps my ex is experiencing the gratitude of honoring the loss of something that she loved.  She practices selective mindfulness,..maybe you noticed some of these rich emotions.  They're on your worksheet of human states of being.  In the third column near the top.

Welcome, then, Mina.  Nice to have you attend to the human network, bound to the suffering we all share in the end. Welcome...you'll be surprised how nice humans can be when you treat them as worthy colleagues and even peers or partners.

 

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