I decided to start embracing the post-divorce world six months ago. I was feeling like I could catch my breath. I was feeling like myself again. It was time.
At first, my boys were humorously alarmed.
“Mom,” said my oldest son. “Remember when you visited me freshman year in college? You told me that you were worried because I was losing a lot of weight, and going out a lot.”
“I remember,” I said.
“Mom,” he said. “I’m worried. You’re losing a lot of weight, and you’re going out a lot.”
We burst out laughing.
He wasn’t wrong.
The past six months have felt like college with the stories to match.
It was long overdue.
This overly social party girl had retreated for years. It felt good to be that girl again. Albeit, a few too many days. But I always new the dust would settle. It was my divorce coming out party.
It was my re-emergence.
I could embrace life again without a man haunting me.
It’s been six months of meeting new people, and new adventures. Our divorce group has expanded during that time. There are a lot more of us girls and guys.
It means there’s a lot more stories.
I joke with one of my friend’s that some of them, I would rather have avoided. But there we are right in the middle of said action nearly every time.
She laughs and agrees.
“It would actually be funny,” I say. “If we were fly’s on the wall, instead of being directly in the line of fire with some of this divorce action.”
The past four months have been more colorful.
There has been dating, late nights, concerts, comedy shows, wineries, dinners, brunches, and Sunday fundays. There has been dating, breakups, and tears.
There has been laughter and bonding.
There has been drama.
A lot of drama.
The kind you want to retreat from. But then you can’t look away. You can’t help yourself. It’s becomes a guilty pasttime. Tell me more. Tell me what happened.
My kids are leaning into it.
They’re over their initial alarm.
They want details.
They came over the other day.
“Mom,” they said. “You got anymore stories for us?”
“Do I have stories for you?” I said. “I have far more than two weeks should allow. It’s been quite the divorce ride lately.”
I’ve had six months of ridiculous fun.
My boys aren’t the only ones leaning into it. I’m leaning into too. It takes a long time to reach this type of happiness after breaking up with your college boyfriend.
The one that you mistakenly married.
Who knew divorce could be this exciting?
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This post was previously published on medium.com.
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From The Good Men Project on Medium
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