The Documents

Three and a half weeks after officially filing for divorce, the documents have arrived. They must all be signed before a Notary Public. Part of me wants to run and jump - "freedom at last!" But most of me feels like crying - releasing the pain of a difficult 6 1/2 year marriage. Mostly I think my sorrow is for our children. Our hope? That they are young enough that this will not affect them in the long run or cause trauma to their delicate little beings. We truly are doing this FOR the children. (And for us too, of course). We reached a point where 'staying together for the kids' was more harmful than separating. We want our children to have the chance to grow up seeing healthy examples of what marriage is and should be, as opposed to our 'house-mates putting up with each other' situation. We both hope to find love - true love, and that our kids will see that it can and does exist in this world. We want our homes to be full of peace and love, not tension and anger. Peter and I care about each other still. We love each other - enough to give the other the freedom to try their hand at finding 'the one' who is compatible with who we have each become, and hope to become. This is not easy for any of us. Tears have been shed and will yet be shed by all of us, I am sure. But we both believe and feel that this is what is right for all of us here and now. Our split is amicable. We realize this isn't common, but request that you accept it as such, and not try to turn things sour between us. We want our children to feel safe and happy with both of us whether we are separate or together. We don't want our kids to feel that they have to choose between us. We are still a family, no matter what. We will be a part of each others lives forever.