Edit: just wow.. we read encouraging, motivational things like this on the daily in other posts, but it's different when it's my post. Just want to say thank you to all you men who took time out of your day to encourage me and push me forward Truly I feel this community helping and your words are driving me forward.

Things are finally starting to make sense, slowly. And painfully. Been reading a lot about cheating, how women will act when they're getting their dopamine fixes from other men, how they'll increase sex with a husband/LTR as a means of coping with guilt. It hurts so bad. I've been non-stop fluctuating from extreme anger, to depression, bargaining and BP idealism the past 2 days. The anger feels righteous. Then I get depressed. Then angry again. And then I wind back in my BP idealistic same-love state and I hate myself for not 'just getting it' already. I wish I could just turn it all off and understand it all already. I know this process is integral and that change only happens after trauma (or at least for me). But God damn guys. This shit hurts so badly.

My entire perception of women and life is basically being torn away. I'm half caught between finally understanding that my source of emotional fulfillment cannot ever come from a woman nd that this BP idealistic unconditional mommy love will never be given to me by a woman, nor could it ever reach the impossible heights that I would require it to even if it was possible. It's empty and hollow. And she's never loved me. And she never will. Not in the way that I need it.

I know I'll have to accept this depressing fact before I can move into new positive paradigms. And damn it'll be a long road. It's taken me 3 years to get here and I'm literally only scratching the surface. But it'll be worth it in the end. But damn if this shirt doesn't hurt.

Hope y'all are doing well on your journey. Best of luck to you.