I know what you mean by 'surviving' but I rather look at responding to this life-trauma with committiment to personal growth. This has been my guide and saving grace. The road for me has followed immense grieving and this, too,marks my progress. Just tonight, at work a convergence of circumstances--an emotional-sounding song playing; a sweet thing someone said to me and my reading a title with my former-wife's name--had me struggling to remain composed.

While both of us were 'left,' I think you were more victimized than I. I was unhappy, unfulfilled, closed hearted, blaming, and more, and she decided not to enable me any more. So from a deeper point of view, I WAS responsible for the end of my marriage. This, (and the emotional pain engine) is what has propelled me to change, become better, survive, and foster hope for yet greater love in my Life.

I think it was a combination of things, my faith in God, my children, especially my disabled son. In the beginning of finding out about my H affair, I really understood how someone could die from a broken heart. I had pains in my throat and my heart. But, I had no choice but to get up every morning at 5am and take care of my son. There was no-one else to do it. I have always been a strong person but this betrayal almost killed me, just because of the deceitful, disgusting, things my H did and the lies he told me for so long

I'm a survivor because I took the power away from him. Years of emotional/verbal abuse from him was rewarded by two affairs. I finally said, "I've had enough; I deserve better."

Kicking him out was the most liberating thing I'd ever done; it would have been so easy to turn a blind eye to the affair, but I wanted to keep my self-respect.

I continue to survive with the help of God, my family, my friends, my step-daughter, my colleagues, and so many others who touch my life everyday, sometimes in minor but meaningful ways. Of course, I will always be indebted to all the wonderful people on DS, who have comforted me through the lonely tearful nights and rough days. We are all survivors!!!!

I am a survivor because I get up every morning and no matter how awful I feel, no matter how much I want to give up....I DONT!
When all of this is done and the dust has settled, my girls will hopefully know that we can get through anything that life throws at us. I am a survivor because of them.

I am a survivor because I am still here on this earth. Many times I did think about giving up, but my love for my children kept me going. I lost my own mother when I was 31 and I wish she was here for love and support now. I decided that I cannot take that from my own children. They will need me even though they are adults now.

I'm a survivor because of the strength of my family's love. I'm a survivor because I know I will never be the souless person he is for all the cheating and lying he has done. I'm a survivor because I need to be for my daughter, she constantly watches what I do and how I'm going to react each time her father messes us again. I need to live, I need to have morals and I need to be a role model....that' what keeps me going day after painful heartwrenching day.