You weren’t meant to leave Mark. You weren’t meant to disrupt the seemingly perfect family you had built with your little ones. You were supposed to stay, settling for “good enough,” and putting on a brave face for the sake of the kids.
You were expected to accept that the pure joy you observed in others was not in the cards for you. You were to believe that having a fulfilling life beyond parenthood wasn’t essential to your existence. You were to forget that your identity mattered; now, you were simply “mom,” and that should suffice.
You were meant to suppress the nagging feeling that something was amiss. You were to ignore the thoughts of a more satisfying existence. You weren’t supposed to contemplate what a different partner might be like.
Mark was meant to fulfill his commitments, and you were to adhere to yours, with neither of you expected to ever waver.
So, when you crossed paths with Lisa, you weren’t meant to lock eyes. You weren’t supposed to linger on her presence or imagine a life enriched by her companionship. You weren’t supposed to even think about leaving Mark for her and the unconventional path she represented. You weren’t meant to desire that—after all, no one is supposed to want such a thing.
You were supposed to recognize what was good and right, responsible and necessary. You were to isolate yourself until your children were old enough to allow you a semblance of freedom. You weren’t supposed to break out before being given permission. You weren’t meant to make your own decisions. You weren’t meant to choose her.
You were expected to remain stagnant, complacent, and “fine”—for the kids, for Mark, for societal norms, for expectations. You weren’t meant to rewrite the rules and embark on a new journey altogether; that was never supposed to be an option, nor your next chapter.
As for Lisa? She wasn’t supposed to accept your choices either. She was meant to walk away, to urge you to fight for the life you had created, to encourage you to work harder at it, to reconsider. For the kids, yes, always for the kids.
She was to be the logical one, the one who understood the significance of keeping the family intact. The one who would insist it wasn’t fair to Mark, thus compelling you to stay.
She wasn’t supposed to want this life either. She wasn’t intended to glimpse a life ablaze with passion and step boldly toward it. She wasn’t supposed to see beauty in the chaos. She wasn’t meant to see you.
She wasn’t supposed to be resiliently patient or fiercely supportive. She wasn’t supposed to wait alongside you, for you, or with you. She was meant to grow impatient, demand too much, and break before your life became irreparably fractured.
She wasn’t supposed to be the one you had been waiting for all your life. But she was.
When you chose her, and she reciprocated, you broke free from the constraints of someone else’s expectations. You stopped adhering to the “shoulds” and “musts,” the “cants” and “won’ts.” You recognized that choosing to live a fulfilling life was the only choice worth making—for the kids. Yes, for the kids.
You understood that showing up as your authentic self was the only way to guide your children properly. Nothing less, nothing more. You knew Mark would be fine because he deserved the happiness you found with Lisa. He too deserved the opportunity to play a new, improved game.
Your children would be liberated from the weight of a merely “okay” life; they would learn to aspire for more than just “fine.” They would witness you dismantle a life that looked perfect from the outside, in exchange for one that felt whole from within.
They observed you stumble, rise again, and construct something more robust. Day by day, you taught them that messiness isn’t negative, that being different isn’t wrong, and that resilience is a strength.
When others question the new path you’re forging, it’s not due to a desire to join; it’s because they fear they’re adhering to outdated rules, living a life merely satisfactory.
You never intended to unsettle them with your choices, yet you have. And Lisa, in her presence, unsettles them even more. They have never witnessed love manifest in such a profound and vibrant way. They have never experienced walking through the fire, emerging scarred yet triumphant. They doubt the possibility that such a life is real. They suspect something must be amiss with you, or with her.
You can’t make an impossible choice and emerge stronger. Or can you?
If you can, then so can they. They can change their perspectives. Mark can reconsider. Lisa can redefine her own path. Just okay might not be sufficient.
Your happiness serves as a reminder that risks are worth taking, that love is worth defending, and that life is meant to be lived fully. They may not want to confront their own realities as closely, preferring to remain in the comfortable realm of “good enough.”
So let them stay. You have exited that bubble, and you are with Lisa. Together, you are expressing love openly in a manner so many will never have the chance to know.
And the kids? They are more than just okay; they are flourishing.
Forget the criticisms; you were always meant to pursue the path you’re on. Never let their fears dictate your choices; their rules were never meant to apply to you.
Continue to show up as your true self, just as you were always meant to.
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Summary
In a society filled with expectations, the journey of leaving a marriage for love can seem daunting. However, embracing one’s true self and pursuing genuine happiness can lead to a more fulfilling life, not just for oneself but also for one’s children. As the narrative unfolds, it showcases the power of love and the importance of challenging the status quo.