Friend's Marriage Looks Beyond Salvageable
Dear Abby | October 29th, 2024 | Letter 2 of 3
DEAR ABBY: How do I tell my friend Lila that I think she'd be happier if she got divorced? To be clear, I don't think her relationship is unsafe -- it's just unhappy. Things have been rocky with her wife for a while now. They keep trying to work things out, but every few months, something new comes up or becomes a problem again. Lila cares deeply about her wife. She really wants to make things work, but I constantly hear she feels neglected and unattractive because of how her wife treats her. I'm obviously only hearing half the story, but it seems like Lila is putting in all the effort to make the relationship work, and her wife isn't responding in kind. Part of the problem may be that Lila is introverted and doesn't have many friends besides her wife and me, which may be why she clings so hard to that relationship. I think both of them would be happier if they stopped trying to make the marriage work and went back to being friends, but I don't know how to tell Lila that, or even if I should. Please help. -- LISTENING IN MARYLAND.
DEAR LISTENING: Stay out of it. Lila needs a friend and a sounding board at this point, not a life coach. If her marriage is as dysfunctional as you have described, she will figure out sooner or later whether it's time to dial it back or to end it. Understand that when divorces happen, most couples don't go back to being friends unless there are children involved.
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