Hec, I'm so glad you liked L! She LOVED the tour. She really is a very cool chick. She's my assistant--how lucky am I? It was lovely to see you as always.

so it's almost hard to imagine that you'd feel jealous.

I'm not jealous; if that's how I'm coming across, then I'm not expressing myself well. I just feel...unsure, like showing me his wedding pictures (happiest day of his life, etc.) just underlines the fact that *he* feels like his divorce was a massive failure, and my presence -- being Not The Wife -- is a constant reminder of that failure.

*I* don't feel that getting divorced makes him -- or anyone -- a failure. But I know that that's how he feels about himself.

So I'm in this relationship role that was supposed to be filled by his wife (in his estimation), but I'm clearly Not The Wife. So I'm a reminder of his failure.

And a replacement.

I'm not jealous; that never occurred to me. How can I be jealous of an ex-wife-shaped hole in his life? I just don't fit that hole -- nor do I want to, because I'm not her; I'm me, and I can only fit a me-shaped hole -- and I don't feel reassured right now (by him) that he can live with that hole always. being. there. while I'm standing next to it, unwilling to try to fill it.

I see that, but you are seeing this as about you, and it's 100% about HIM. The hole isn't where she was, the hole is in his own self-image. My major malfunction after the divorce was that I chose this person and I loved them and they were wrong. Not only did they not love me, they broke me. I was the mistake. I couldn't choose well. I had terrible judgement. I loved stupidly. I could not trust my feelings. that's what I had to struggle with and it sounds like that's what he struggles with. The hole is in him and it's not something you fill. It has nothing to do with you.

I just wanted to share that I got my nap!

I have lots of thoughts on the relationship post divorce thing but the iPhone makes them hard To share.

It has nothing to do with you.

But it makes me feel *so* rotten.

And if it has nothing to do with me, then I can't *do* anything to make it better for him. And I can't stand being helpless.

I'm just hoping we don't disagree on the proper way to clean the bathroom.

I was going to say that there's really no wrong way someone else can clean my bathroom, because it means that I don't have to do it. But then I read Scola's post...

FWIW, Steph, I didn't get a jealous vibe from anything you've said. I also interpreted what Hec said to mean that it would be hard for the The Boy to imagine that you'd be jealous given that you are The Girl, a.k.a. The Right Person. (I always resist doing that - interpreting [out loud] what someone else posted, because maybe I'm not right. So, apologies in advance!)

I see that, but you are seeing this as about you, and it's 100% about HIM

This is exactly so, in my experience.

You are not a reminder of any kind of failure or a replacement. You are the good positive thing that allows him to imagine his own future again.

I also interpreted what Hec said to mean that it would be hard for the The Boy to imagine that you'd be jealous given that you are The Girl, a.k.a. The Right Person.

Exactly.

I could not trust my feelings. that's what I had to struggle with and it sounds like that's what he struggles with. The hole is in him and it's not something you fill. It has nothing to do with you.

This is also very much what I went through.

I see that, but you are seeing this as about you, and it's 100% about HIM

This is exactly so, in my experience.

But then what do I *do*? What do *I* do? This just hurts so much.

Timelies all-- back from Land of Maus, completely exhausted, but with enough time to recover before the munchkins head back to school tomorrow.

Reading through, I'm appalled that Labor Day weekend has turned into a weekend of labor for so many. Again, many good thoughts and continued ~ma for Vortex; Stephanie, good to hear that you got a nap-- did the fevers go down, as they're wont to do with the little ones?

"I have a good recipe for chocolate pie." = "She thinks she's a better cook than I am."

Yargh, Ginger-- I fear I'm turning into this, at least with respect to writing. I've been having such a hard time lately, with the rejections and other issues, that I've seemed to have lost the joy in brainstorming and am simply hearing well-meaning suggestions through a filter of "you don't like it, you must think it sucks," which is not only stupid, but dangerous and narrow-minded. I'm trying to break free of the cycle, but since I'm currently stuck in a vicious state of limbo, it's tough. Bah--

I'm me, and I can only fit a me-shaped hole -- and I don't feel reassured right now (by him) that he can live with that hole always. being. there. while I'm standing next to it, unwilling to try to fill it.

Yeah, but honey, if he'd wanted the ex-wife shaped hole, she'd still be there. It's a hole that has to close gradually, but you're not expected to fill it or even patch it. You're just expected to be you (who is completely fabulous) and carve your own niche in his life as he's done with yours.

I tell you what, if you say to him some of the lovely things you've posted about him here, then I bet that helps to reassure him that he is clearly not a failure at relationships. Says the single chick who knows more about nuclear physics than relationships, which is to say, not a lot. At all. So, again, take it for what it's worth.

In conclusion: I'm sorry you feel crappy. I wish for it go away.

In completely unrelated news, I'm borrowing my sister's dog for the week, because she is aDORable. I swear, I feel the stress of a spectacularly crap week last week just melting away with her stalwart presence. Pets are awesome.