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October 17, 2017 at 12:30 pm #173591
Anonymous
GuestDear Andy O’Sullivan:
You asked: “why then do I still get this feeling of wanting to be with her, holding her, protecting her and being the rock for her kids..?”-
Maybe you were driven then to save a “damsel in distress” and your current girlfriend, although lovely and amazing, is not a damsel in distress. You recently saw sadness in her eyes and you want to help her. If my guess is correct, and it is a guess, then the motivation to help a damsel in distress draws you to her.
What do you think?
anita
October 17, 2017 at 2:09 pm #173597Andy
ParticipantHi Anita
In some part yes, it’s been a bit of a pattern with a couple of ex’s.
My previous girlfriend smashed her leg in an Accident before we met. She wrote to me earlier this years, 5 years after we broke up thanking me for the love and commitment I gave her and her kids and apologizing for her behavior that forced us to part. She was wanting to meet and explore the possibility of getting back together. We chatted but I made it clear that I wasn’t in a position emotionally to even consider getting in to a relationship. However, we now remain good friends and I helped her daughter with a family situation this summer. I didn’t get the same feelings for her, that’s no doubt down to time being a healer.
This really is the first time that I’ve thought about my ex and our relationship with a clear head and without being clouded by grief and getting angry at seeing her face. The whole situation knocked me for 6 and really threw me off track. I’d believed that my ex’s choices last year were down to me and that I expected too much from her. However, to me they are the basics of any strong relationships. My gut always told me that when I had an issue, my ex wouldn’t be there and it seems I was right.
I did play a role in that though as I stopped being the man I was when my dad got ill and I spent most of my week at my own property caring for my dad and supporting my mum. This meant she was alone and the re-modelling of her house (I was doing that work) came to a stand still.
It also meant that my planned move to be with her permanently got canned.
My new lady and relationship is totally different and new to me and I’m trying to focus on that. It’s nice to be in a relationship where there is no drama and me and my lady can focus on each other and my son. My new lady doesn’t have kids and we are able to do things together and as a little family. It’s everything I’ve always wanted, yet somehow, since these events, I wished that was me and my ex. The last 3 or 4 days have been tough for me. I’ve fought every thought of contacting my ex, writing to her etc to apologise.
Writing the above helped though as it’s given me perspective again as to why my ex and I aren’t together and that what I feel is totally normal and part of my grieving process. It’s also shown me that what I have now is a real, mature relationship between 2 adults who support each other.
October 17, 2017 at 2:48 pm #173607Rox
ParticipantHi Andy,
I read your whole story and feel awful for all that you’ve gone through. The way that you described your relationship with your Indian ex girlfriend, sounds to me like her heart was not fully committed to you and your needs. She was not there when you lost your dad and you couldn’t take family vacation together- this is not a good fit! What do you think has changed? I mean once a person shows you who they are, you ought to believe them no? Also, why not focus on this amazing woman who is by your side right now? To me, you are emotionally elsewhere and that is sad. She doesn’t deserve that(your new lady friend). In order for you to move on and enjoy your time with your new lady, you need to let your past go. From what I read, you seemed to really have loved the Indian lady but it didn’t work out for a reason. Trust the journey and don’t look back!
I wish you all the best!
October 17, 2017 at 11:36 pm #173661Andy O’Sullivan
ParticipantGood Morning Rox, Thank you for your message, you are correct, I know nothing would change my ex is who she is and I know that whoever she ends up with the same will happen again and again. She was the same with her best friend of 18 years who’s mum went on the same journey as my dad. She gave her friend little or no support.
I’ve learnt to trust my gut feelings from now on.
It’s the first time in 10 months that any thoughts like this have happened. Yes, I was madly in Love with my ex, yet I couldn’t get my head around her choices as I would never do any of the above to anyone, even if they were my enemy. When people talk about what happened with us, I still make excuses for her, yet if one of my friends were to write what I wrote, I’d be saying are you mad?
I have to admit, as the year went on, my heart stopped being in it also and for the last few months, I’d emotionally removed myself for the relationship myself.
Writing my message above cleared my head and put last year where it should be, back in the past, it’s put me back on track. It’s also shown me that writing my thoughts down either here on in general is a great way to clear my head.
My new lady is brilliant, well rounded, loving, funny and beautiful in every way. We have a great relationship and know where we want to be and want to go. I am so looking forwards to our future together and she is going to get all of me. We are friends and confidents, there isn’t that intensity there and other outside influences which makes it so easy. I’m a calmer, happier person, probably more than I have ever been in my whole life.
Thanks for the advice, it’s much appreciated.
October 18, 2017 at 8:04 am #173715Anonymous
GuestDear Andy O’Sullivan:
You are welcome. I am glad posting here helped clear your head and hope you continue to post anytime you need clarity.
I want to suggest something regarding the “madly in love”, intense feelings for the ex girlfriend who was often unloving, in a relationship that was unhealthy for you vs the calm feelings toward your current girlfriend who is loving, in a relationship that is healthy for you:
let’s say a child is living with an unloving mother. The child has no option of another mother, he is stuck with the one he has. All this dreams and hopes are in making her love him, so he tries and tries to please and do for the parent, to earn her love. There is no more intense feeling for that child than the desire to be loved by this (unloving) parent. As this child becomes an adult, when he gets into a relationship with an unloving woman, same desire awakens, to please and do and earn her love. It is an intense desire. It is as if, this is the only place and only hope for him to be loved.
The adult has a choice, a different girlfriend. Calm is better.
anita
October 19, 2017 at 2:45 am #173845Andy O’Sullivan
ParticipantHi Anita
That’s brilliant. I know the answers deep down and those few days were a bit of a jolt. I am so happy with my new lady, we talk about everything, there is trust, love, respect, support everything. I’ve also broken a cycle with her as she isn’t a damsel in distress so I’m not on a Roller Coaster, or Washing Machine. It’s a mature happy relationship. My lady adores my son and they get on like a house on fire.
There is no way that I would go backwards or go back to my ex, in fact, I have been more cross at myself as I should have trusted my gut feelings in the early days and that would have saved me, my ex and our respective kids the pain of another family break up. It was interesting that when I told my son that my ex and I had split and why, he said that I deserved better and that the things that didn’t happen were the basics of any relationship. Wise head on a 14 year olds shoulders.
I feel sad for my ex as she is from a very dysfunctional family and also had a really tough arranged marriage where she was beaten and controlled. In hindsight, she needed time to find herself and become who she wants to be so that she could give her heart and soul to someone.
Anyway, my lady and I are looking forwards together, planning Christmas, holidays and outings with my son. I am truly happy, as I am calm and can be myself, give and receive love in the right way.
Thank You
October 19, 2017 at 5:52 am #173855Anonymous
GuestDear Andy O’Sullivan:
You are welcome. Re-visit your thread, re-read and post again anytime, so to keep this clear, reality based thinking and the calm that results from it.
anita
October 20, 2017 at 12:48 pm #174039Andy O’Sullivan
ParticipantI’m so glad I wrote the above.
last night, another friend contacted me to tell me that my ex was on a well renowned dating site. Why people do this, I’ll never know. He tried to make light of it and sent me what she had written. Her like/comments were all comments that my dad and I talked about weeks before he passed away. My first thought was fury as she wasn’t interested in being there for us when dad was alive, yet could use our words to pull another man. It was tempting to write to her and express my displeasure at this as I initally thought how sick!!!
After a bit of meditation a good nights sleep and a nice workout, I see it totally differently. It’s not my issue what she does anymore. We have made our choices and need to move on. I’d love her to meet someone and be happy. My choice was to take some time out, be on my own and heal myself, wait for something to happen naturally without the interview process and this has happened and I am so much better for it.
I see years of pain and hurt for my ex which will only make her worse, I also feel for the kids as they have been through so so much from both parents, such a long story. I did feel like saying to her, “just stop and think for 5 minutes, your son has just gone to Uni, your daughter has just started 6th form and both will need you. Why can’t you spend your time focusing on them and yourself solely for a little while instead of trying to get another man in your life, don’t you think they’ve been through enough in their young lives?”
Both kids used to come to me for advice, support and help as opposed to their mum and dad as I was around more than either of their parents and their dads new wife.
I woke this morning thinking how lucky I am and as I write this, I feel totally blessed as my new lady and I can talk about all of the things that are going on in both of our lives, we listen, we don’t judge and we aren’t threatened by what we hear. I know that I’ve broken my cycle of looking for Damsells in Distress and the hurt this causes in the long run.
Have a great weekend.
Andy
October 21, 2017 at 11:41 am #174119Anonymous
GuestDear Andy O’Sullivan:
Thank you. Better tell that friend to no longer give you any information about your ex. A friend should respect such assertion.
I understand your pain and concern regarding her children. But since you can not do anything to prevent their mother from hurting them, what can you do. Unfortunately there are a whole lot of children being hurt, feeling pain as I type this. I was one of those children. You probably were one as well. Treat yourself with empathy.
The serenity prayer: … grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, the courage to change the things I can and the wisdom to know the difference.
anita
October 22, 2017 at 9:38 am #174191Andy O’Sullivan
ParticipantHi Anita,
Thanks for the feedback. Fortunately for me, my parents were amazing, my mum still is. Yes, hey made mistakes but don’t we all.?
I spoke to m new lady about this and we had a really good chat about it as our relationship has moved on the last few weeks and I don’t want any secrets. She was brilliant, she said exactly what I said, even before I told her how I felt about it.
We’ve both discussed our pasts and are very open. Nothing phases us as we are in everything together. Along with my Son and her little dog, we’ve created our own little family unit and all of us couldn’ be happier.
My ex, is well and truly in the past. The comments show that my thoughts were not far off and that she’s still to found her true self. These posts have enabled me to forgive her and also forgive myself properly, allowing me to look forwards now to a great future.
thanks
andy
October 22, 2017 at 9:52 am #174195Anonymous
GuestDear andy:
You are welcome. Your “own little family unit and all of us couldn’ be happier”- reads very good to me, a good thing to have, your own little family unit. I like that.
anita
December 11, 2017 at 1:57 pm #181645Andy O’Sullivan
ParticipantHere’s an update for you guys.
So, last weekend, I received a text message and email out of the blue from my ex. “Hey Andy, hope you are well, I have some of your Christmas Decorations here, would you like to collect them.” I poke to my lady and she asked how I felt about it. For me, I was fine with it and so did my amazing lady.
So, after finishing work and having been in her area, I arranged to pick them up this evening on my way home.
As you can imagine, as today drew closer, I was quite nervous. However, when I arrived at her house, I felt comfortable and confident about the situation, I was initially worried how I would feel, would I get upset, would the hurt return etc.
I arrived at her house and was saddened to see, the hedges and garden hadn’t been done, something I’d always done. Her fences had blown over. This was the first shock. The second was when she answered the door.
She hadn’t done her hair, it was grey in her roots, this was something she always did. Her eyes were tired and she was just so sad. The difference in our lives since separating was massive. I had a coffee and chatted to her, her house hadn’t been touched since I left it in January this year. It was heartbreaking as I could have cried for her. I didn’t look at her as my ex, but as a friend who’d been hurt and through a tough time. She’s had a tough time at work and told me I was right about the things I’d said to her when we were together.
As I left, I gave her a hug and she clung on to me like she was glued to me. Whilst driving home, she texted me to say how lovely it was to see me again. I thanked her for letting me know about the decorations and that I’d got home safe.
I kept everything polite and positive didn’t talk about the past and told her to make sure she looked after herself.
I’m in a different life now and today gave me some more closure on my last chapter allowing me to focus even more on this new chapter.
i hope my day really does find herself and true happiness one day.
December 11, 2017 at 4:23 pm #181653Bubba
ParticipantHappy for you Andy! God bless, love a wonderful life with your family unit.
Your ex’s life is now her and God’s business and God will help her find her way in due course. You can now focus on your life.
December 12, 2017 at 5:43 am #181711Anonymous
GuestDear Andy O’Sullivan:
I appreciate your update!
Here is a science fiction type scenario: you had two lives, parallel, two universes. In one life you stayed with your ex, in the other you moved on with your new girlfriend. When you visited your ex to pick up the Christmas decorations, you would have seen not only the sorry state of her garden, fence, house, hair and sad, tired eyes, but you would have seen you, the other you, sad, tired, distressed, subdued.
And you would have seen your son there, miserable too, watching his father in such a sorry state.
When we try hard and long to save or improve the life of a person who is dysfunctional in some major ways, we don’t save them, we destroy ourselves.
It is a good thing that there is only one of you and that you are where you are, not there.
Often enough it so happens that there is simply nothing we can do to help another. Keep choosing what is right for you, in this Win-Win relationship with your girlfriend.
anita
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