((((((Barbara)))))),



I'm proud of you. I'm glad that you didn't do anything to take you away from us.

Basically, Barbara, those of us that have come through (and survived) bad marriages have to recreate our entire lives. We have to learn how to be OK with being alone. We have to learn to lose the instinct to hurt ourselves when life gets too hard or too lonely.

It's possible. I've done it. It's **HARD**.

You might want to read "Journal of a Solitude" by May Sarton. I love her books; especially, the journals. Also, "One Hundred Years of Solitude" by Gabriel Garcia Marquez. There's another one, too, one of my favorites. About a woman whose life falls apart so she moves to the Cape for the winter and ends up staying much-much longer. I sold that one by mistake (I might have the name in my journal).

These 'alone times' are the best times to sort out all the thoughts that are running through our heads.

'Things' that bring up these crisis feelings are also things that need to be worked on either with a therapist or written about in a journal until you understand why you have this reaction.

You can't always depend on another person to bring laughter and love and flowers into your life. If those things aren't there right now, get them for yourself

BIG HUGS (and love).

Barb