DIFFERENT PATHS

20 years ago I stood on an island beach and pledged to love someone forever. It was the two of us, the minister, musician and photographer. It was one of the most beautiful days I had ever seen. That morning I headed out to my hair and nail appointments and answered questions about how this came to be. It felt like I was in some sort of dream world. I was about to marry the person that I loved and we were going to live happily ever after.

The morning rain had cleared and the sun came out just in time to erase any trace of gloom. Everything was coming together perfectly and I was as happy as I had ever been. It felt so odd because I was as calm as I could be. Heading down to the beach in my custom made dress I felt like a princess. This was the moment that I had thought about since I was a little girl.

Our driver picked us up in a classic car and drove us to the restaurant for dinner. I clearly remember walking into the restaurant dressed in our wedding attire. It was a beautiful establishment that opened up to a lake with swans. There was a long table full of older couples who stood up and clapped for us. They obviously had figured out the secret to marriage and I felt so honored that they were cheering us on. The day just got better and better.

Over the years life would shift and we would be forced to change. Some of those changes were hard and unfortunately we just weren’t strong enough to ride it out. That is when you find out what you are made of. If you can not bridge the gaps, you will have to take different paths. That is the most difficult realization that a married couple will have to face. We had sustained too many hits.

Though we are getting divorced I hope that we can remain cordial. We have children to raise and will be in each other’s lives for years to come. The memories don’t go bad because we aren’t together anymore. They are part of a great story that produced some awesome kids. Those kids are counting on us to show them the way. I want nothing but the best for all of us and I will be committed to that.

Ali M

When I started Alimonia Life I was unsure of the direction, I just knew that I wanted to
create a safe space for anyone who found themselves on the road to divorce.
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