Topic : The Other Woman

Number of Replies: 3042
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Created on : Friday, July 01, 2005, 05:04:06 pm
Author : dataimport
If you've been the other woman, find support here. General talk and debate about infidelity can be found in our Infidelity discussion.

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March 8, 2006, 10:06 am PST

hope for the future

Quote From: cwgrlbusdr

I cheated on my husband almost 7 years ago, so I can kind of relate to the two of you. One thing I've noticed that you both are doing is spending too  much time looking back. Don't dwell on what was or what could have been. Focus on what you have now. You cannot change the past. You CAN shape the future. You must, in some way, convince yourselves that you are much better off because YOU ARE.  Have either of you bought "Relationship Rescue," yet? I highly suggest that you do, especially you rdl, because right now your hubby is away and it will occupy you. There are so many exercises it in, it will keep you busy. The two of you will never forget the other man, but with determination, the yearning will subside. Then you will realize it was all fantasy. These OM don't sit around and think about us. They are not made that way. Guaranteed, we weren't their first, and we will not be their last affairs. DO feel sorry for the wives of these men. They will never have the husband's that we do; the kind of men who love, forgive, cherish and HONOR their wives. Yes, 7 years for me. Yes, I still think about OM every day, I guess I always will. But I don't think of him fondly. I don't yearn for him. He had such a profound affect on me it's no wonder I can't forget the idiot. Cheating with him almost caused me to lose the very best thing that I ever had in my life. Almost losing my husband made me realize how much of an idiot I was. If I had ended up with OM, my life would be lousy. The newness does wear off eventually and reality does set in. I also realized that having an affair was just my way of filling the huge hole I had inside. It was a temporary fix. It took me years to find out what that hole was caused by and how to fix it myself. I'm not empty anymore. I fixed it. So now I can really be the kind of wife my husband deserves. I'm finally happy. I hope some day you two can be happy too.

I have not bought "Relationship Rescue", but will make it a point.  I am going on vacation with my husband and family next week and I could take it along for my "quiet time".  We are so lucky to have men in our lives that DO love us for who we are.  How did you figure out what the "emptiness" was?  I sometimes think that I have been searching for years and keep waiting for something to make me happy.  How did you find it? 

 
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March 8, 2006, 10:22 am PST

The Other Woman

Quote From: cwgrlbusdr

I cheated on my husband almost 7 years ago, so I can kind of relate to the two of you. One thing I've noticed that you both are doing is spending too  much time looking back. Don't dwell on what was or what could have been. Focus on what you have now. You cannot change the past. You CAN shape the future. You must, in some way, convince yourselves that you are much better off because YOU ARE.  Have either of you bought "Relationship Rescue," yet? I highly suggest that you do, especially you rdl, because right now your hubby is away and it will occupy you. There are so many exercises it in, it will keep you busy. The two of you will never forget the other man, but with determination, the yearning will subside. Then you will realize it was all fantasy. These OM don't sit around and think about us. They are not made that way. Guaranteed, we weren't their first, and we will not be their last affairs. DO feel sorry for the wives of these men. They will never have the husband's that we do; the kind of men who love, forgive, cherish and HONOR their wives. Yes, 7 years for me. Yes, I still think about OM every day, I guess I always will. But I don't think of him fondly. I don't yearn for him. He had such a profound affect on me it's no wonder I can't forget the idiot. Cheating with him almost caused me to lose the very best thing that I ever had in my life. Almost losing my husband made me realize how much of an idiot I was. If I had ended up with OM, my life would be lousy. The newness does wear off eventually and reality does set in. I also realized that having an affair was just my way of filling the huge hole I had inside. It was a temporary fix. It took me years to find out what that hole was caused by and how to fix it myself. I'm not empty anymore. I fixed it. So now I can really be the kind of wife my husband deserves. I'm finally happy. I hope some day you two can be happy too.
 I have the book.  My husband went out and bought us both copies.  I started to read it before I let go of the OM so it was not the help that it should have been.  Iam just now feeling able to want to pick it up again and really work with it.  I think all Dr. Phil's books are brilliant.  My husband would hate it when I would quote and tell him all about one thing or another... and now he's turning to Dr. Phil for help.  It's ironic, but endearing to me.  I know I need to run away with it and dive into working this through...  yes move forward and away from the pain and the heart break.  Thank you for being realistic and sharing how you still feel for the OM.  I know it will be the same for me.  If he contacted you again after all this time, how would you react do you think? 
I know that these men, our husbands and the lovers, they can't be what makes us whole or happy.  We have to do that for oursleves and I had been able to do that.  And yet I still fell.  I think that I may survive because I was strong before this knocked me down. 
Another really great book to help is Something More, Excavating your Authentic Self, by Sara Ban Breathnack (spelling??)    Self Matters was good too.... I never finished that one either...   I've got lots of work to do....  and yes I have the time for now....  thanks for the push....
 

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March 8, 2006, 4:22 pm PST

My emptiness

Quote From: rdldad1013

I have not bought "Relationship Rescue", but will make it a point.  I am going on vacation with my husband and family next week and I could take it along for my "quiet time".  We are so lucky to have men in our lives that DO love us for who we are.  How did you figure out what the "emptiness" was?  I sometimes think that I have been searching for years and keep waiting for something to make me happy.  How did you find it? 

I was fortunate to have had a very good counselor, plus I read self help books and did deep soul searching. I kept journals.  My emptiness stemmed from my childhood. I have since faced my demons and have forgiven those at fault due to their own ignorance. It wasn't easy, it took patience with myself and much  meditation. I think age also helped.  As for your search for happiness, nothing can make YOU happy. That is something you will have to learn for yourself. I know it sounds like a foreign language. Just don't give up. Men cannot give us something that we have inside of ourselves to begin with. A man can give us a temporary fix. What we all need to learn comes from within.
 

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March 8, 2006, 4:31 pm PST

You asked me what I'd do...

Quote From: sc0612

 I have the book.  My husband went out and bought us both copies.  I started to read it before I let go of the OM so it was not the help that it should have been.  Iam just now feeling able to want to pick it up again and really work with it.  I think all Dr. Phil's books are brilliant.  My husband would hate it when I would quote and tell him all about one thing or another... and now he's turning to Dr. Phil for help.  It's ironic, but endearing to me.  I know I need to run away with it and dive into working this through...  yes move forward and away from the pain and the heart break.  Thank you for being realistic and sharing how you still feel for the OM.  I know it will be the same for me.  If he contacted you again after all this time, how would you react do you think? 
I know that these men, our husbands and the lovers, they can't be what makes us whole or happy.  We have to do that for oursleves and I had been able to do that.  And yet I still fell.  I think that I may survive because I was strong before this knocked me down. 
Another really great book to help is Something More, Excavating your Authentic Self, by Sara Ban Breathnack (spelling??)    Self Matters was good too.... I never finished that one either...   I've got lots of work to do....  and yes I have the time for now....  thanks for the push....
if after all this time, the other man contacted me. My first reaction would be anger. I'd be angry that he would try and disrupt my life after all these years. I had my phone number changed to an unlisted number, shortly after the affair was over. I also canceled my cell phone, and changed my email address. If he did go through the trouble to contact me, I have no desire to hear anything he has to say. I would just hang up. Then I would promptly tell my husband. I went through a lot to regain my husbands trust, and I never want to lose it again. His trust is VERY precious to me. OM is in the past and that is where he will stay. He has nothing I want, my husband is all I need.
 
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March 9, 2006, 11:28 am PST

The Other Woman

Quote From: cwgrlbusdr

if after all this time, the other man contacted me. My first reaction would be anger. I'd be angry that he would try and disrupt my life after all these years. I had my phone number changed to an unlisted number, shortly after the affair was over. I also canceled my cell phone, and changed my email address. If he did go through the trouble to contact me, I have no desire to hear anything he has to say. I would just hang up. Then I would promptly tell my husband. I went through a lot to regain my husbands trust, and I never want to lose it again. His trust is VERY precious to me. OM is in the past and that is where he will stay. He has nothing I want, my husband is all I need.
 I am angry now.  I go back and forth.  I hope to come to a place where I can know I will react the same way.  I'm trying to understand what it really means that the OM is trying to let me know that he still loves me and has tried to leave that door open.  Just the fact that I am taking up time and brain waves trying to understand it, tells me he is still messing with my life by attempting to get this message to me.  I should be angry about that.  He made his choice and hurt me to the core and is still trying to hold on to me.  It's like torture.  My heart is confused.  My head knows to RUN!  I should not even care anymore what is in his head.  He can sit there and "think" I'm still here and he can be stuck in limbo .....    for all eternity.  Which is how long he said he would love me.  Ha ha...
Last night I went to my daughters sports banquet.  She plays high school water polo and her team did very well this season.  As I sat there watching her receive her rewards I kept thinking how I would not have been sitting here to see this, if the OM did chose to be with me and we went through with our plans.  I would have given up this night to share with my daughter and she would be going through this knowing her mother wasn't there because she chose to be with another man instead of her.  I was horrified at the thought and so thankful for the turn of events.  She is old enough to understand what her mother almost did....   and yet she got up with the rest of her team mates and thanked all of us Moms who supported the team and sat through every game and gave me a rose.  I was so humbled.  The magnitude of realizing that I would not have been there for her hit me so hard.  It's these little precious moments that I need to cling to, to help me realize I must never fall backwards again.  
 

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March 10, 2006, 8:55 am PST

SCO

Quote From: sc0612

 I am angry now.  I go back and forth.  I hope to come to a place where I can know I will react the same way.  I'm trying to understand what it really means that the OM is trying to let me know that he still loves me and has tried to leave that door open.  Just the fact that I am taking up time and brain waves trying to understand it, tells me he is still messing with my life by attempting to get this message to me.  I should be angry about that.  He made his choice and hurt me to the core and is still trying to hold on to me.  It's like torture.  My heart is confused.  My head knows to RUN!  I should not even care anymore what is in his head.  He can sit there and "think" I'm still here and he can be stuck in limbo .....    for all eternity.  Which is how long he said he would love me.  Ha ha...
Last night I went to my daughters sports banquet.  She plays high school water polo and her team did very well this season.  As I sat there watching her receive her rewards I kept thinking how I would not have been sitting here to see this, if the OM did chose to be with me and we went through with our plans.  I would have given up this night to share with my daughter and she would be going through this knowing her mother wasn't there because she chose to be with another man instead of her.  I was horrified at the thought and so thankful for the turn of events.  She is old enough to understand what her mother almost did....   and yet she got up with the rest of her team mates and thanked all of us Moms who supported the team and sat through every game and gave me a rose.  I was so humbled.  The magnitude of realizing that I would not have been there for her hit me so hard.  It's these little precious moments that I need to cling to, to help me realize I must never fall backwards again.  

You have to find something that anchors you, keeps you looking forward, even on the bad days, when you are tempted to look back. 

You're on the right track. The OM wants to keep his options open. That's why he left that message. He doesn't love you. He doesn't know what love is. 

 
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March 10, 2006, 1:50 pm PST

Here's what the OM considers love,

Quote From: sc0612

 I am angry now.  I go back and forth.  I hope to come to a place where I can know I will react the same way.  I'm trying to understand what it really means that the OM is trying to let me know that he still loves me and has tried to leave that door open.  Just the fact that I am taking up time and brain waves trying to understand it, tells me he is still messing with my life by attempting to get this message to me.  I should be angry about that.  He made his choice and hurt me to the core and is still trying to hold on to me.  It's like torture.  My heart is confused.  My head knows to RUN!  I should not even care anymore what is in his head.  He can sit there and "think" I'm still here and he can be stuck in limbo .....    for all eternity.  Which is how long he said he would love me.  Ha ha...
Last night I went to my daughters sports banquet.  She plays high school water polo and her team did very well this season.  As I sat there watching her receive her rewards I kept thinking how I would not have been sitting here to see this, if the OM did chose to be with me and we went through with our plans.  I would have given up this night to share with my daughter and she would be going through this knowing her mother wasn't there because she chose to be with another man instead of her.  I was horrified at the thought and so thankful for the turn of events.  She is old enough to understand what her mother almost did....   and yet she got up with the rest of her team mates and thanked all of us Moms who supported the team and sat through every game and gave me a rose.  I was so humbled.  The magnitude of realizing that I would not have been there for her hit me so hard.  It's these little precious moments that I need to cling to, to help me realize I must never fall backwards again.  
 If your OM really loved you he would want the best for you, and would leave you free to find that out for yourself. What person in their right mind would want the person they love to be lying and sneaking around? True love allows and encourages the recipient to be their very best person.
He loves your gullible nature, he loves the fact that you did these despicable things to be with him when he wanted you to. (What an ego boost!) If you need proof that he just loves the behaviors you've taken on, and not you, give it some more time. Of course he keeps trying his same old tactics, they worked for him in the past didn't they? I predict he will give up and prey on another pretty soon.
If somebody's "love" leads to hurting you "to your core" and "torture" can you really call it love? Dependancy, fixation, obsession possibly, but not love.
 
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March 12, 2006, 4:16 pm PST

The truth hurts

Quote From: ritehere

 If your OM really loved you he would want the best for you, and would leave you free to find that out for yourself. What person in their right mind would want the person they love to be lying and sneaking around? True love allows and encourages the recipient to be their very best person.
He loves your gullible nature, he loves the fact that you did these despicable things to be with him when he wanted you to. (What an ego boost!) If you need proof that he just loves the behaviors you've taken on, and not you, give it some more time. Of course he keeps trying his same old tactics, they worked for him in the past didn't they? I predict he will give up and prey on another pretty soon.
If somebody's "love" leads to hurting you "to your core" and "torture" can you really call it love? Dependancy, fixation, obsession possibly, but not love.
 No, he did not love me.  I'm coming to that painful realization.  I wanted the lying and sneaking around to stop.  That is why we both decided to divorce and be together.  I hated being the person I became.  An adulteress, a liar. I wanted the deception to end.  He did too, so he said.  He never did stop lying to his wife and wanting me to stay secret.  That was exactly the issue that caused the break down and break up.  I would not stand for it.  At least I didn't buy into it in the end.  I am proud of myself for that.   The words you use to describe what he did feel for me are truly what our relationship has been like.  Those are all negative unhealthy things to build a relationship on.  And it's no wonder it all fell apart so easily in the end.  It wasn't love, for him.  It was for me and that is the hard part.   To have to heal and move on from a broken heart ....  and all the mess left behind. 
 
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March 12, 2006, 10:29 pm PST

The Other Woman

Quote From: katesmom05

Sad to say that I got myself into this. But I did.

 

I met Keith on Valentine's Day, 2004. We became friends gradually, although it was hard because he wanted more than just friendship, and I was having major problems in my life. I was 17, he was 25. I was just out of a 3 year relationship with a guy who screwed me over because he was married, and go figure, Keith was married to. He spent months convincing me that his marriage was a mistake, he was very unhappy, and that he was looking for the girl he should have married. I was VERY reluctant, but 11 months after we met, I began to date him in January of 2005. We were VERY irrisponsible about sex, because that was Keith's main problem with his wife, she wouldn't have sex with him. So literally in the first month of being together, and sleeping together, I got pregnant with his baby. That is basically when our problems started, because he started feeling guilty about what he did to his wife. At this point, after walking all over him for a few years, she decided that she wanted him afterall, and he was reluctant to leave her. He went back and forth for a few months before he finally moved out of their house for good. He and I stayed together, bought a house, began preparing for our daughter. We are soooo happy together I swear. He really is a GREAT guy underneath all those walls he has put up around his heart. He says that he loves me and his daughter, and I believe him.

 

Now my main problem with our relationship is I am like 10 weeks away from delivering our daughter. He has been promising the whole time I have been pregnant to have his divorce finalized before our baby was born. However, he has screwed around and stalled, and now there is no way he will be divorced before I have her. I am very upset about this, but am even more upset that he is still on good terms with his wife. Good terms I mean they call each other and have casual conversations, he takes her places and lies to me about where he is going, and he REFUSES to talk to her on the phone in front of me. I am VERY defensive when it comes to her being in his life because he has lied to me so much about her.....so I really don't trust him anymore when it comes to her. He says this is my fault that I don't trust him, I say it's his for lying to me in the first place. I guess he doesn't understand that if he hadn't lied to me in the first place, I wouldn't have a problem trusting him. He says that if I had never found out about any of the lies, then our relationship would be no different, and once again, it is my fault for finding out. I say that he has no reason to have a friendship with her, they have no kids, and I think that he should just let the divorce papers do the talking. He insists that cannot happen, and a friendship with her is a must. I am to the point where I feel so threatened by her and his lies that I want to leave and take the baby unless he can completely cut her off. And he says that what I am asking for is soooo ridiculous that I should just go.....telling me that our relationship is not important enough to him to give up a relationship with his ex-wife....well soon to be ex-wife. I don't want her calling him anymore, but more importantly I don't want him to answer the phone. He keeps telling me that he just cannot bring himself to be an asshole to her, but yet he doesn't think he is being an asshole to me when he ignores my wishes when it comes to her. Honestly I would have no problem leaving if he wasn't such a good guy outside of all this drama. But I just don't want to walk away from him, I really do love him, and I want to be a family with him and our daughter.

 

So am I completely irrational to ask for him to COMPLETELY cut her off? He says I am just being naive, immature, and hormonal due to my pregnancy. Who is right, and what do I do? Stay and be miserable just so my daughter has us both, or do I go?

I am really bothered by this email...  in the beginning, you say how old you are and you had been burned by a previous 3 year relationship with a married man.  So, if I do my math correctly, that would put you at 14 years old in the beginning of a relationship?   

  

WHERE ARE YOUR PARENTS???   

  

Is no one in your life around and cares enough about you that will put their foot down and ground you?  Are you kidding me?  I am reading all the replies to your message and everyone is telling you ... "you did make your own bed, now lie in it", you are under age, slept with two married men, and now pregnant and living with one of the married men?  Am I crazy for noticing this, and overreacting??? 

  

This is horrible!  You are a child and you are bringing another child into the world in a situation that has no boundries or guidelines and the men in your life are fully taking advantage of the situation.  These men are not only garbage but they are CRIMINALS!!!  I feel sorry for you and the baby you carry. 

 
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March 13, 2006, 11:24 pm PST

A question for all the OW............

Why ?  Why are you the "other woman" ?  Well, the better question is,  Why do you ALLOW yourselves to be the other woman ?  

  

For the life of me, I can't understand it.  Can any one of you make us understand "where your heads at " when you're doing this ?   I don't want to sound like I'm bashing, but are there really NO other fish in the greatly vast sea ?  

  

I read these posts that describe nothing but pain, misery and broken homes and broken children. 

Do you have so little regard for another woman and/or her children ?  Do you have so little regard for YOURSELVES ?  I know it takes 2 to tango, and there are lying married men out there.......but if you know, shouldn't you walk away ?   

  

Still , just try'n to understand................ 

  

 

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