image source; love.designx.com

What’s love got to do with it? Everything. Without it, a marriage will wilt like a plant without water. Unfortunately, people think of extreme reasons for divorce like abuse, cheating or stealing. They forget to look at the obvious. It always comes down to love or the absence of it.

LOVE. It’s a simple four letter word but it’s often misunderstood.

What is love to you and what is it to your spouse?

That answer is often different and that’s why it isn’t always enough to say, I must be in love OR you must love me because _______ (fill in the blank).

I get many questions coming in from readers all over the world. I like to feature a question that  many women can relate to. It’s valuable to share and discuss common questions readers have about their divorce but sometimes I get questions about a failing marriage.  I usually respond in a gentle way. Here on the blog we can explore this scenario further. I can be a little more harsh…tell it like it is as they say.

Brokeback Mountain-the film was one of the first to chronicle gay married men

It is estimated that millions of marriages end in divorce when one spouse comes out and admits their true sexual orientation.  Millions!

I am fascinated by this scenario and always wonder what were the signs?  Did she or he have a clue?  When your spouse admits they’re gay after decades of marriage, it must be absolutely devastating for the

image ‘lonely rain’ by crazy beautiful

If you’ve ever wondered whether you should end an abusive relationship, this is a must read!

Updated: October 2, 2023

Today is my first guest post here at The Great Escape…and I’m delighted to introduce to you all one inspirational young lady.   She’s beautiful, sassy, rescues dogs, teaches elementary school and she’s someone you’d want for a best friend.  Marianne Jordan is also the founder of My Own Diva (this company is no longer in business but Marianne’s story remains a must read) and well…she kicks ass.   She’s a Southern Belle from Columbus, Georgia and her story will inspire you…

Based on this title, it sounds as though I’m going to tell you exactly when you should leave your marriage.  When to leave a marriage is the number one key word search that brings people to my site.  Yet, I haven’t written one blog post to tell you when to leave your marriage because that would be presumptuous.

Everyone faces unique circumstances.  My book however, touches on this very question in the first chapter. The quiz also prompts some hard thinking and

sosurce; Pinterest

Truth or Dare? Remember that game. Well, sometimes the dare was way easier than the truth…

“Tell all the truth, but tell it slant–” – Emily Dickinson

Are you tired of being the Good Wife?  I’m sure you’ll agree that when we say our vows we have the best intentions.  Our twenty-something selves actually believe in the fairytale.  We are dressed in a fluffy white dress looking like the icing on a cupcake.  Yet, somehow this didn’t tip us off that it wasn’t realistic.  So, we became

“No one can make you feel inferior without your consent.”  Eleanor Roosevelt

This one gives me pause.  How do I let someone make me feel inferior?  Isn’t it what they say or do that makes me feel inferior?  Maybe what Mrs. Roosevelt is referring to is surrounding ourselves with the wrong people.  If someone is repeatedly saying or doing things that make you feel inferior then it is up to you ultimately to remove yourself from that person. Don’t go back for more.  Stop participating in the negativity.

Surround yourself with positive people and those who, while in their company make you feel good about yourself.  Also, a healthy dose of not caring what people think, and being comfortable in your skin will reduce those inferior reactions.

photo credit Pinterest

 How did you stop letting people make you feel inferior?

Leave a comment, I LOVE ’em!

photo credit someecards.com

People will ask you the weirdest, nosiest most obnoxious questions when you tell them your marriage is over.  As a woman who made the decision to end my marriage, the reaction of bewilderment by some people was beyond frustrating.  Here are the top dumbest divorce questions I got asked;

I guess I’ll start at the beginning to blast off my new site and blog.  As you would have read in my bio, I made the most difficult decision of my life in 2005.  I made a decision to end my marriage.  It was not a decision I took lightly but when I made it nothing could change it back, that’s how sure I was about it.  Since then I have become stronger, wiser, more tolerant, less judgmental of others, happier, and more fulfilled.  Although I have gone through the stumbling blocks, including anguish, tears, anger and fear I have made it to the other side.  The point is it is not easy to accomplish freedom, but is worth every tear.

I was inspired to write The Great Escape; A Girl’s Guide to Leaving a Marriage partially as a form of therapy,