Divorce, once rare and stigmatised, has become mainstream – 42 per cent of marriages now end this way, meaning nearly half of us who get married can expect to experience it in our lifetime. Just as every marriage is different, so is every divorce. In this column, divorcees reflect on their life-changing experience. Helped by the benefit of hindsight, they’ll share advice and reflections.
I met my ex-husband at a family party when my aunt’s young partner brought along a friend. They told us after that it was a set-up. They knew we were both single, the same age, and they thought we’d get along well. They were right. One week later, we went on our first date.
We’d only been dating for six months, at the tender age of 22, when he told me he wanted to marry me and have babies. I remember it so clearly. We went for a walk and he said he’d never thought about getting married before, but since he met me, he did. Another afternoon, I was lying on his bed and he playfully stroked my tummy and said: “If there was a baby in there right now, I’d be the happiest man alive.” It was music to my ears. Now my wild teenage years were over, all I wanted was to have the wedding of my dreams and start a family. Yes, we were young, but it seemed our wants and desires were completely aligned.
