Being a Happily Single and Independent Woman After Ending a Bad Marriage

Life sure is full of twists and turns, sometimes taking us in directions we never expected to go in. In the 1960's, when I was born, little girls were groomed to depend on men for a fulfilling family life. Learning to cook, clean and be ladylike were the norm back then. Watching Snow White, Sleeping Beauty and other lovely Disney movies, we waited for our hadsome princes to come take us away. For me, that never happened. Looking fashionable and cooking gourmet meals for men just didn't do it for me, somehow. I kept my figure, wore high heels and pretty dresses, had my hair done every eight weeks and did the whole Stepford Wife thing (I can make a kiler apple crumb pie), but felt totally unfulfilled and worn out. My husband always found things to complain about, no matter what I did. I felt unappreciated and bored in the lifestyle I thought I'd wanted all along.

Marriage in itself is a fine institution for those for whom it is suited for. In my case, my marriage was unfulfilling, and a lesson in self-preservation. That picture-perfect husband of mine looked like he walked off a model's runway somewhere. His foreign accent melted womens' hearts, my friends asked if he had any single brothers, everyone liked him. But behind that dazzling, pretty face was the heart of a cold, heartless, psychotic and dangerous monster. He morphed himself into an angry, dangerous drug and alcohol addict, after spending too much time with his womanizing, drunk friends.His constant need for attention and adulation really got old after awhile. I divorced him after enduring a roller coaster of problems, threats and his infidelities. Enough was enough. After trying to get him help, with no success, I realized he wasn't going to get better, and concluded that if I valued my life, I had to go and not look back. His putting a knife to my throat was the last straw. That was ten years ago.