Thursday, June 4, 2009

Look after myself for a change

So I talked to my mom this morning, and todl her I was grasping at straws, because maybe I could tell the judge that my husband is mentally incompetent to file for divorce.
But after talking about it for a while, here is my conclusion:
1 - I don't want a divorce because I took vows that said I would be with this man until my dying breathe.
2 - I don't break promises, if there's anything I can do to help it.
3 - I feel it would make me into a liar, that I stood before God, and all my family and friends and said I would love and be there to support my husband in all things for the rest of my life. and I'm not a liar.
4 - I want to take care of someone.
5 - Mom says I always have put others before me, always put underdogs before others, and always doen everything I can to help other people, but always also forsaken myself in the process.
She says now is the time that I have to take care of myself. Could I probably have my husband committed, thereby becoming his power of attorney and not allowing him to divorce me? Probably, yes. But what would it gain me? Would my husband suddenly start loving me again? Would I have a happy marriage? Or would it be even worse than it was before, because I'd STILL be married to a man who doesn't love me, I'd STILL be miserable every single day, even though I had really good times with him I'd still be miserable too. I'd still be putting him and his daughter before my own health, happiness, and wellbeing.

Is there a good possibility that my husband has severe psychological issues above and beyond PTSD? Yes... I now think there is. I think he may be a borderline paranoid schizophrenic. His mother is very much schizophrenic... his mother's brothers and father have severe emotional issues, one is completely gun crazy, has like an entire arsenal at his home, i mean major amounts of guns and amunition... as in, he could put down an entire zombie army on his own, and not even break a sweat.

Is that someone that I want to have children with?
Is that someone I want to sacrifice my life for?

I just don't think so any more.

The only reason I am holding onto this marriage is because of the promises and vows that I made to him and to myself and to my family and friends and to God, if God exists.

Is that a good enough reason to stay married?

My mom says that he nullified our marriage and my promises to him when he refused to keep a single promise that he's ever made to me. That he nullified our marriage when he refused to stay with me, refused to try, refused to tell me the truth about things, refused to take any steps to show me that he loved me and put me before others. That it's ok if I divorce him, because in truth we have never been married, and his insanity or whatever it is, has nullified the vows we took, because he did not really understand what is required by a married man.

I am not sure.

I still feel as though his actions, and my divorcing him (or being divorced by him, whatever) have made me a promise breaker. a vow breaker. a liar, and a bad wife.

for isn't it my job as a wife to stand by my husband, to support him through trials and tribulations?
That is my belief.

Mom says it is nullified by his actions and words.

What is right?

6 comments:

  1. The first thing you need to do is stop viewing this as your fault. HE left, not you. He refused to go to therapy, not you. YOU tried, he quit. You kept your promise to God, he broke it.

    You were a good wife and you kept your promise to God. You can't force him to help you keep the vows your made together. You have no fault in this.

    Find the song "I Can't Make You Love Me" by Bonnie Raitt. It'll make you cry, but it helped me through a relationship like yours where I wanted to keep trying and he quit on me ages ago. (different guy than my Marine...I can pick them!)

    I'm so sorry you are going through so much.

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  2. KNK - I want to be as clear as I can be. You made a vow to a man to stay with him as your husband.

    You are not considering leaving your husband, because this man is no longer your husband.

    I'm not being snarky or unnecessarily existential. I'm being very direct and plain. Your vows applied to a man who was a certain man. *He is no longer that man.* Moreover, you have reason to believe that that man will not return. (Hideously painful all by itself. This I know.)

    I'm religious too. I see God everywhere. I turn to God for healing - but I still go to the doctor. I see the doctor and think, this is God at work, trying to heal.

    KNK, how do you know that SoozeQ and your mother and the board and I are not, in fact, "collectively the face of God," trying to tell you to move on? You don't.

    Many, many people in your life love you. As an act of love, as an act of fidelity to what is "right," I'm sure that your mother is giving you clearance to move on. I certainly do. So would nearly anyone else familiar with the situation.

    As for your heart and refusal to abandon "your husband," the memory and legacy of this man will forever live on in your heart. *But the person we're discussing is no longer that man.*

    Please be strong. I will continue to pray for you.

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  3. Keep in mind how you felt during the worst moments of the past few weeks.

    Those moments were not caused by you. They were caused by him.

    Divorcing him IS taking care of him KNK because it will force him (eventually) into seeking help, by staying married he won't feel he has to change because there is no reason to. Taking care of someone so unstable is a type of enabling. You enable him by giving him a safe home where he can lash out without penalty.

    It also bit by bit destroys you and the marriage, you are at that point now. I know it hurts to realize that your marriage is damaged beyond repair, but KNK you are not damaged beyond repair.

    Take this opportunity to repair yourself. You have a lifetime of happiness and emotional health just waiting for you.

    ~FrootLoop who cares about you

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  4. "for isn't it my job as a wife to stand by my husband, to support him through trials and tribulations?"

    KNK -- You are supporting him. By divorcing him, you are forcing him to get the help he needs. If you were in a prolonged and agonizing marriage, besides losing KNK, you would also be enabling his ways and postponing any real reform that he would have.

    For him. For you. It's painful but it's right to take this step. Continuing prayers and cares.

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  5. I have a hypothetical question. I appreciate that a big part of your heart - a very good heart by the way :) - says, "I should stand by him, come what may." OK. Also assume that no one is on the verge of health crisis or death.

    What does the world look like in 10 years? 20 years? Do you have little children being brought up in a dysfunctional household? How much of KNK is actually left? How capable are you of "moving on"? And, how badly would you love to go "back in time"?

    Back in time is now, KNK. Sometimes, people quit long before they stop. He has quit for some time. Continuing prayers.

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  6. thank you all very much.

    you have some really good and valid points. I am going to think about these tonight.
    thank you again.

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