Divorce

I Broke up with My Husband

And people are still talking about it

I broke up with my husband.

In the adult world, they call it divorce. A fancy name for breaking up or for legalizing it.

It’s a dirty word in suburbia.

It seems this shapeshifter of the couple’s world is frowned upon.

People will talk about it, whisper about it, and marinate over it. It will be the shock heard round the cul de sac and the echo over coffee and cocktails.

Call me naive but I had no idea leaving my husband meant gaining a new relationship role and moniker — ‘the divorced woman.’

I am a cup-half full kinda girl. Divorce meant I was free. I was single. I got a do-over. I had the courage to walk out of the proverbial door.

I was completely baffled.

What was all the fuss about?!

It’s a breakup! Remember those?! We’ve been breaking up with people since we were sixteen. And we weren’t banished to the other side of the bleachers. It’s never pretty and someone always gets hurt but it happens.