This One With The Designs On The Sides.

I can't do this rn

— Jenny Slate, Little Weirds

IM IN DAMN TEARS. IN TEARSSSSSS

Transcript and links to Reddit under the Read more:

I miss my husband so goddamn much

February 27th, 2025

I (35M) divorced my husband (36M) three years ago. And God, I miss him. I asked for a divorce for a few reasons, most of which being that his depression got exponentially worse day after day and he refused to seek treatment. Sometimes he wouldn't even go into work and ended up getting fired from his job. I stayed with him for so fucking long, praying that one day he would start trying to get better. It was all I ever wanted, but that day didn't come. I sobbed the entire time signing those papers, and when I handed them to him and asked for a divorce, he just gave me the emptiest, deadest look and signed them without a word. My heart felt like it had been shattered with a hammer, anger and sadness and fear tied together in the world's tightest, ugliest knot and inset deep into my chest.

I put on a brave face for my friends, tried to frame it as shackles coming off and a new beginning, but it was a lie. It just hurt, and it keeps hurting, and it will never stop hurting. He was my soulmate. I'll never love anyone like I loved him. He used to be so sweet and loving, so passionate and happy and every other wonderful thing a man could want from another.

They say each day gets easier, but it isn't for me. It's been three years and I'm still reaching over to the other side of the bed in the morning to pull him close, and it always stings when my hands touch fabric and not his skin. It's been three years and I'm still expecting to see his car in the driveway when I get home from work. It's been three years and my heart isn't any less broken than the day he left.

I've been stalking his socials, I'll admit. He's been getting back to the gym, started meds, and I see him smiling so genuinely in these photos. He looks so incredible. Maybe if I had just waited, he would have changed his mind and went to a doctor like he is now? Or was it me that held him down? Was I making it worse?

I hope not. I wanna go over to his place and just fall into his arms and beg him to take me back. Maybe he's wishing the same thing about me. If there's even a chance I could have my boy back I feel like I should try. I'll never know otherwise.

EDIT: One: I am a homosexual man. My husband is a homosexual man. I am not a woman. Yes, I know I'm effeminate and kind of emotional. Get creative.

Two: my husband was a binge drinker. He refused treatment no matter how much I begged. We got antidepressants but he wouldn't take them. I know he's started meds now because he's posted about them and his 2 yrs sober chip that he got last month.

Three: I never stopped loving him. I never loved him any less. Near the end of our marriage, I started drinking to cope. The second I realized I was, I realized he was dragging me down with him, and I couldn't help him anymore. I didn't dip the second it got hard. Many of you are being kind of rude. I'll accept that I wasn't the perfect husband, nobody is. But claims that I never loved him are just wrong and make me feel sick to my stomach.

EDIT 2: No, I am not the catalyst for this. His depression started when his young brother died terribly and unexpectedly. It's not because he just hated me so much. We were childhood sweethearts and had been together for years when this happened.

[UPDATE] I met my husband that I divorced 3 years ago

March 2nd, 2025

Well, with Reddit's advice, I did it. A few days ago, I called my (35M) ex-husband (36M) whom I divorced after 6 years when he refused to seek treatment for his depression.

I called him later in the evening. It was the first time we'd spoken since a bit of trouble he'd had while he was still drinking 2 1/2 years ago. He picked up on the second ring. Our conversation was a little stilted at first, as to be expected, but he said he was really glad to hear from me. We ended up meeting up for coffee yesterday as so many of you suggested. I'll admit: it was kind of hard to see him, but in a good way? He looked so much better than the last time I had seen him, but he looked exactly like the man I married. He had put off a ton of weight (he gained like 75ish pounds during his struggle with depression, and before some dick says so, I didn't leave him because of his weight gain), he looked way healthier and very put together. I'll just say it: he looked incredibly hot. What made it hard was that I couldn't kiss him hello like I used to. But God, the way his eyes lit up when he saw me, I barely needed to.

We got our coffee and sat, and he updated me a little on his life in the last 3 years.

What really turned his life around was in part the divorce but moreso a DUI (nobody was hurt, he was caught a few blocks from his apartment). He's since gone to rehab and AA, gotten his license back, and had to use a breathalyzer whenever he started his car for a while. He hasn't had a drop of alcohol since and I told him I was so fucking proud of him. He's also started antidepressants, and made a point of telling me that they're not SSRIs, but when I asked what that meant he got embarrassed and told me nevermind (???). Bottom line is that they've been helping him, he's back to being a gym rat, and he's almost completely turned his life around. This was around the point I started tearing up. It just felt so good knowing he was okay. Better than okay, he was *good*.

I also apologized to him for not sticking by him. He cut me off and said I had nothing to apologize for. He was a wreck, and I was being dragged down with him. That also felt good to hear. I apologized for not contacting him much during the last 3 years. That apology, he accepted.

He was dating someone for a few months, too. He broke up with him once he tried to get him to drink on New Year's. He seemed dismissive of the guy. Guess it wasn't too serious.

We got up and went on a walk after a few hours, and I think we both realized it felt like a first date. I had to stop myself from trying to hold his hand at a few points, I'll admit. We ended up sitting on a bench in a nearby park, and I confessed.

I told him I missed him more than anything, how I never stopped loving him, and how if he wanted to, I'd love to try again from the beginning this time. We'd go to couples' therapy, keep our heads above the water, and take it slow. He was quiet for a minute before he told me something. He said he was doing better now, but there may be a time where he sunk low again. Depression isn't easily cured, and he was far from cured. He still had bad days, but he said there would be one difference: he promised he would never stop trying to improve. He was never going to give up like he did before, and refused to neglect me like he used to. If I was willing to accept that truth, he was willing to try again. I agreed, and he pulled me into an embrace and snuck a kiss to my temple. You know when it's the first warm day of spring after a cold, harsh winter, and the soft breeze and basking sun hit your skin at the same time? It felt something like that, to the 1000th degree. After a while he walked me back to my car and squeezed my hand goodbye, and the second I got inside I started sobbing like a baby. Happy tears, though.

I'm currently sitting in bed, kicking my feet like a teenage girl, texting him back and forth to schedule an actual date. He said he'd plan everything, and try his best to make up for the birthdays and anniversaries he missed. He said it would "knock my socks off." What a dork. I love being in love. Not gonna lie, this is gonna be a bit hard to explain to my friends and family. Not looking forward to those conversations, but right now I don't care. My man loves me.

Thank you to everyone who had kind words to say, and all the people that messaged me with sympathy and advice. I hope we all find happiness, and love if we want it. I never would have made the leap if y'all hadn't encouraged me. Best of luck to all of you, and sorry for the overly flowery language <3

EDIT: we've scheduled a date for tomorrow evening. I'll let people know how it went two days from now in my final (unless something big happens) update.

EDIT 2: at his place presently. Shame me not, reddit.

[FINAL UPDATE] I went on a date with my ex-husband last night

March 5th, 2025

My (35M) ex-husband (36M) and I recently reconnected. I won't go over the details of why we split or our reconciliation since I'm sure the average redditor can click buttons and most likely read. He was the one taking me out, and promised that it would, in his words, "knock my socks off" to make up for his neglect of me. He sure as hell delivered.

A little backstory, we've been together since we were 15 and 16 respectively, and have never moved out of our hometown. This year would have been our 20th anniversary (of getting together, not marriage). We were dating secretly for about five years before our parents caught us one day during summer break. The fallout from finding out their son was gay actually made his parents split. His dad wanted to send him away to conversion therapy. He's seen his father maybe once per year on average, and every time he's incredibly cold towards me. Would never refer to me as his son-in-law, only my husband's "pal." I wonder why. Anyway, not what you're here to read. I'll get on with the lore.

He picked me up from the house and wouldn't tell me where we were going, but told me to dress warmly. He ended up taking me to the place where we met: a run down ice skating rink in our town. He used to do hockey, and I spent some time trying to learn figure skating until people started beating me up for it. Both sports would practice at the same time and I remember barely being able to keep my eyes off him. We went skating, I tried to pull off a few of the moves I remembered (he only had to catch me from falling on my ass once or twice, and I won't complain about an attractive man that I love hooking his arm around my waist), and we spent an hour or so there until our feet hurt. At one point I said that my face was getting cold, so he skated around in front of me and placed his gloved hands on my cheeks to warm me up. I just about burned a hole in the ice from how hard I was blushing, I swear to God.

He wasn't done then. We left and went to dinner, specifically the restaurant where we had our first date. It's a cheap hole-in-the-wall place, seeing as we were poor teenagers when we first met. We chatted and ate food that probably took 5 years off our lives, he was an incorrigible flirt, and even held my hand underneath the table like he did all those years ago. I know I said I never stopped loving him, and I stand by that, but I think I somehow fell in love with him a thousand times over again during that meal.

At the end of dinner, he asked if I had energy for one more simple thing, to which I agreed. He took me a while out of town to a dark sky zone park, specifically the one where he proposed to me ten years ago. He set out a blanket to sit on and another to cuddle under, and we went stargazing all bundled up together. You never know how much you miss the sound of someone's heartbeat until you haven't heard it for so long. We shared a bottle of sparkling grape juice in plastic champagne flutes and dumb, giggly kisses. It felt so similar yet so different. He told me in a moment of quiet that he loved me, and oh, God. It took everything I had not to cry. I barely hesitated before asking if he wanted to change venues. He seemed surprised, but eagerly accepted.

I ended up at his place, as some of you may have seen from my edit on my second post yesterday. I wanted to take it slower than this, but it was so hard to. I was so starved of affection and hadn't been intimate with anyone for just about six years. I'm gonna keep what happened at his between us, but all I'll say is that his medication was no issue and all of you should be jealous. I woke up in his bed this morning, reached over for him, and pulled him close just like I used to do. I haven't been this happy in a long time. We had a sleepy discussion and decided to get back together, but we're not using the term boyfriends. It just feels weird after all this time. So he's my partner, or my lover. He's mine.

Thank you, reddit. Wouldn't have done it without a little push from the internet. Let's see where all this goes.

My most favourite painting and artist 💛

One of my many wishes is to see The kiss in real life.

The Kiss, 1908

- Gustav Klimt

#art #painting #klimt

Every creative endeavour begins with a concept.

How to make Lucy van Pelt hate me

Chapter 3 Accustomed to ─────── her face

Song: I've Grown Accustomed to Her Face - Rex Harrison

Previously: Chapter 2

3

Accustomed to her face

────────────

Schroeder

I'm frustrated.

At Frieda because her main focus in this contest is for her and her curly hair to shine.

and at myself, because I don't understand why I'm feeling like this, like, something's missing.

It couldn't be Lucy, it can't be! I worked so hard and I didn't want her company at all.

Lucy is bossy

She's mean

Sarcastic

A girl like her should be easy to forget!

But then,

"What is this Beethoven? Is it a candy brand?" Frieda smiled cluelessly.

I sighed, Noone seems to understand me more than her.

"What do you think of this?" I asked, then played symphony no. 5.

"Hm, it sounds nice! Let's see if it matches with my poetry!" Frieda answered, holding her notebook.

Lucy would've suggested something like, 'oh! You should play something more interesting!'

She'd suggest Elle fitzgerald, Barbra Streisand, sometimes she'd even squeeze in the effort to recommend one of Beethoven's pieces which would surprise me, in the price of it being romantic.

If she's the one here right now, she'd probably sing my ears off. She's too confident for her own good.

♫⋆｡♪ ₊˚

♫⋆｡♪ ₊˚♬ﾟ.

♫⋆｡♪ ₊˚♬ﾟ.

"What a girl does to have such hair~

So natural and curly and red like a red panda~"

I played my piano while Frieda recited her poem about her naturally curly hair but I can't help but glance at Lucy and Franklin from time to time on the other side of the room.

They were talking while Franklin held his guitar.

What does Franklin know about her? Nothing, that's it, nothing at all.

Gee, Good luck to him, he won't last a day with her.

I know what Lucy dislikes but I also know what she likes and it's definitely not Franklin's taste────

Franklin began to play his acoustic guitar and Lucy followed, singing an Ella Fitzgerald song.

I ended up messing the notes and stopped.

"Gardens of────

Frieda was cut off, "oh? What happened Schroeder?"

I flinched, "oh! Sorry, let's try again".

"It's alright, I got an idea on what to add anyway!" She reassured and began to talk about using flowers and gardens as metaphors.

I glance back at Lucy.

And now she's singing love songs with Franklin? I scoffed, It seems like an idiotic idea.

♫⋆｡♪ ₊˚

♫⋆｡♪ ₊˚♬ﾟ.

♫⋆｡♪ ₊˚♬ﾟ.

All day, I've been acting strange. Wherever Lucy go, I would follow.

My goodness, I'm acting like a creep...

During lunch? I'd sit a few feet away, sitting where I could face her.

She would be talking with the other girls, then Charlie, Linus, and then Franklin.

I've been officially replaced!! My yesterday of victory and glorious freedom suddenly vanished. I don't feel so good about it anymore.

Why would she watch him play his guitar? Does she what? Like him or something?

Why won't she look at me?

Wait────No! Isn't this what you wanted Schroeder?

I sounded like an idiot.

Get a grip man!!

♫⋆｡♪ ₊˚

♫⋆｡♪ ₊˚♬ﾟ.

♫⋆｡♪ ₊˚♬ﾟ.

"We'll practice again tomorrow, Schroeder!" Frieda smiled and waved goodbye.

I smiled and waved goodbye back.

"How's your performance going?" A voice that's all too familiar to me made my eyes go wide and immediately turned around.

"Lucy", she's talking to me.

Her arms crossed and wearing her unbothered expression, "so?".

"Uh──... it's going well" I answered, the tension evident in the air between us. Weirdly enough, I found it a bit hard to speak to her.

"Huh, I don't believe you one bit!" She states.

I frowned at that, "and why is that?"

"You have never been a fan of anything but Beethoven" Lucy said, "Frieda already blew it for you with her poetry about hair" she added.

"It's clear you're struggling" she said.

Her assumption made me angry and grumble (she is right). Who does she think she is?? And to think that I almost thought I missed her!

But this is exactly right! To be reminded of why did all of this in the first place.

"Actually, I think we're just gonna ace this contest" I said with confidence.

"Oh really?? Don't lie to me Schroeder"

"I'm not! At least I'm not singing nonsensical love songs!"

"Cheek to cheek is a national favourite for any romantics in the world!!" She argued.

"Then, the romantics in the world is a bunch of dummies!" I argued back.

"It'll be a duet and it'll be amazing!!"

"Ours will be all about hair and Beethoven, now that's art!"

"Fine!"

"Fine!"

"Okay!"

"Okay!"

She walks away with angry stomps as I did the same.

♫⋆｡♪ ₊˚

♫⋆｡♪ ₊˚♬ﾟ.

♫⋆｡♪ ₊˚♬ﾟ.

I sighed, playing my piano on my own. I played a few pieces but I can't get myself to focus properly.

I looked at the top board of my piano, a solemn feeling growing in my chest.

I frowned and got frustrated all over again. Her voice is echoing in my head, I won't lie about that anymore.

Ever since we've been apart, she has been in my mind.

Lucy's endless company and chatter has been a part of my everyday routine, her ups and downs are second nature to me now.

It feels lonely now and perhaps that's the reason I can't play well.

How did Beethoven do it?

Playing in a room?

With noone like Lucy around?

Without her voice, her face, her trace, how did he live to compose like that?

Why can't I do that if Beethoven did it so easily.

I kept my eyes on where she usually leaned on.

I frowned, "Don't tell me I've grown accustomed to that face!"

Her dad jumped from a moving ship & swam across the ocean for her mum, and now her man chased her down from the theatre across different blocks, because he missed her.

The women in this family are exactly who they think they are.

I'M NOT ALRIGHT, I LOVE THEM SO MUCH.

“MA MEILLEURE ENNEMIE” - STROMAE, POMME

MA MEILLEURE ENNEMIE x

I needed to color this page 🥹