I was warned. Weren't we all? "Don't get married! You'll end up miserable!"
Society has us conditioned to believe that this is just "men being men". That we have committment issues. I couldn't disagree more.
It seems that we ALL began our marriages believing that our wives were special. We are unable to imagine her being a completely different person and why would we, given no evidence? Sadly, many men will charge into marriage blindly, their blissful ignorance leading the way.
I fear that no matter what is said here, men will continue to plunge into marriage, only to be surprised later at the metamorphoses that their wives will undergo. Nevertheless, Ill share my story, even though, it will likely fall on the deaf ears of a man intent on marrying his special someone.
Like many of you, I thought my wife was really something special. A rare gem. Intelligent, strong, funny, and gorgeous to boot. I thought I had hit the jackpot.
The dating phase was amazing. We shared beliefs on religion, finances, children & parenting; we tackled all our problems together, we almost never fought, wed make meals for each other, surprise each other with little gifts the whole nine. From the outside, it was probably pretty nauseating, but damn it was great. In her, I had found my best friend, my partner, my confidante
I was madly in love. After dating for three spectacular years, we married. I wanted to be with this woman for the rest of my life.
Once we got a place together and she got access to my income, all bets were off.
She began to spend money on little things she needed: a new blow-dryer, a new flat-iron, a pair of boots, a purse. Except she didnt replace them with the same budget brands she had always used, no no. She went with the hundred-dollar top-line models. She wanted something that was quality and would last longer (P.S. they dont).
She also decided she needed a career change, so she went to school ($) for that. After getting her cert, she worked for 1 day, decided she hated it, and went to school ($$) for something completely different. She didnt like that school and transferred to a different school ($$$). At the time, I was happy that she was following her passion. I really wanted her to have a career she loved. How silly I was. She wasnt content with her new job for long and was back in school ($$$) again. This cycle has been perpetual for 5 years.
And then there was the laziness. We used to split housework 50/50. Sure, wed have a few jobs we each did I mowed/shoveled, she did laundry but the arrangement worked. Slowly but surely (believe me when I say that this was a VERY GRADUAL process) the burden of maintaining our home shifted entirely onto me. I even ended up servicing my own laundry because I never had clean clothes when I needed them. The tipping point was when she had started a load with my nice work shirts, and let them sit, wet, in the washing machine for a week. Needless to say, they were stained and ruined. And what was her response? Will you please take your shirts to the dry-cleaner instead? REALLY? The shirts have washing instructions, and I steam press them all anyway, so Ill just do it myself.
I now do all the cooking, and, thus, all the grocery shopping. I clean the areas of the house that I frequent, but I cant keep up with a house where two people make messes and one person cleans. I work a full-time job, try to exercise a few times/wk like a responsible adult, I take care of the household, wash, rinse, repeat. Every time I ask for help -- you know, for the PARTNERSHIP that we once had -- I get chastised for having unrealistically high expectations. That Im too demanding. That all I want is some subordinate 1950′s housemaid of a wife. Trust me, that couldn't be any more UNAPPEALING to me. I want a PARTNER and an INTELLECTUAL EQUAL. Not a housemaid, nor a sloppy roommate, nor a dependent.
So I quit. Ive just started taking care of my immediate surroundings. Just the things that I need done, I do them. Sometimes I have to clean up after her mess, otherwise Id be eating out of my bare hands. And I cook meals for me, but she eats my leftovers.
Then theres the obligatory weight-gain, none of which was her fault, of course. First she thought she was pregnant, then she thought it was hormone imbalance, then she thought it was her thyroid, then she thought it was her depression. Never could it have been that she just ate way too much, snacked all the time, and never exercised. Look, I have absolutely nothing against big girls, but at least own up to it, ffs.
I could go on and on, of course, but you get the idea.
So now Im at a crossroads. We've been married five years, each year worse than the previous. I made a vow, and I am a man of my word. I promised for better or for worse. I promised for richer or for poorer. Ive been faithful, even when she hasnt. Ive worked for the partnership, even though she doesnt. I try to remain an honorable man
but I dont think I can take any more. I'm nearly 30. I never pictured my life this way.
She says she wants to keep trying. Shes said that before, but nothing ever changes.
Its a sad state in life when you wish your wife would leave you.
*sigh*
What to do
What to do
.
MEN, LISTEN UP: Dont put yourself in this position. You can have a fulfilling relationship with a woman without tying the knot.
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