Below is a Dear Abby column that brings up a common question in people who are contemplating divorce. Do you agree with Dear Abby’s response? Share your thoughts.
Dear Abby:
My wife of 16 years, “Barb,” and I argue constantly. We have few common interests and don’t enjoy our time together. Our love life is nonexistent. We have gone to three marriage counselors, and it hasn’t helped. I think it’s time we faced the fact that we’re never going to be happy together. When I bring this up with Barb, she gets angry and says if I want a divorce I’ll have to get a lawyer. Divorce will be difficult and costly enough without having to drag lawyers into it. I’d like us to use a divorce mediator to work out the details. It will save us a lot of money and, hopefully, make the divorce less acrimonious. I don’t understand why Barb wants to stay together when she’s so unhappy and we’re unable to make things better. How can I make her see that separating will be best for us and the kids included? – “Former” Husband in Colorado
Dear “Former” Husband:
Your wife may prefer the evils she’s living with to the unknown. However, when a marriage is over, it’s over. And when it reaches the stage that yours has, what both parties need to be most concerned about is preservation of assets. I have seen both kinds of divorces – one in which the warring spouses spent so much money in litigation there was little left for each of them when it was over; and the other, in which the couple agreed their marriage was broken beyond repair and arranged their divorce with as little cost as possible. I don’t have to tell you which people are doing well now. So clip this and share it with your wife.
Share your thoughts.