So many quotable, relatable lines in here. Beautiful to read in that heartbreaking, fellow traveller kind of way. I appreciate you and your writing and what it must have taken to become the person who put these words on the page.
Every time I read something by you, I'm struck by how similar we are in so many ways. Not our paths necessarily, though. For example, my divorce was not nearly as messy as yours, it sounds like. At least not for me personally, though it was not fun, but mostly it came as a relief to me.
Neither of us knew I was autistic at the time and there was some emotional manipulation on her part. I was very vulnerable to that and I just kind of fell out of love with her over, I don't know, a year or two. So, it was not nearly as emotionally traumatic for me in the moment, although the whole process was pretty terrible. I melted down a lot, things like that.
You also mentioned feeling unmoored. I feel like I've gone through a lot of my life that way. I often characterize it as being a little disassociated. I have had very strong disassociative episodes. But often I just feel a little... it's almost like being high. You know, a little disconnected or at most a very tenuous connection to things. You know? There are a few things I almost always stay connected to. My pets, that's the big one. But my wife, I'm almost always pretty connected to her. But outside of those, things can get pretty tenuous.
Yeah, I feel you. That almost-high feeling is relatable too. I think for me, that was probably one of the deepest dissociative layers I was contending with—but I didn’t have the language or context to recognize it at the time.
I’m glad the writing connected. Thank you—not just for the kind words, but for sharing your experience too.
So many quotable, relatable lines in here. Beautiful to read in that heartbreaking, fellow traveller kind of way. I appreciate you and your writing and what it must have taken to become the person who put these words on the page.
I am so proud of the man you are.
You have been through so much to get here. It’s heartbreaking to even read these struggles knowing how alone you were.
I am blessed to be your Mother and have you helping me to learn so much.
I wished I would have understood more and been able to help you.
I love you Son !
Every time I read something by you, I'm struck by how similar we are in so many ways. Not our paths necessarily, though. For example, my divorce was not nearly as messy as yours, it sounds like. At least not for me personally, though it was not fun, but mostly it came as a relief to me.
Neither of us knew I was autistic at the time and there was some emotional manipulation on her part. I was very vulnerable to that and I just kind of fell out of love with her over, I don't know, a year or two. So, it was not nearly as emotionally traumatic for me in the moment, although the whole process was pretty terrible. I melted down a lot, things like that.
You also mentioned feeling unmoored. I feel like I've gone through a lot of my life that way. I often characterize it as being a little disassociated. I have had very strong disassociative episodes. But often I just feel a little... it's almost like being high. You know, a little disconnected or at most a very tenuous connection to things. You know? There are a few things I almost always stay connected to. My pets, that's the big one. But my wife, I'm almost always pretty connected to her. But outside of those, things can get pretty tenuous.
Yeah, I feel you. That almost-high feeling is relatable too. I think for me, that was probably one of the deepest dissociative layers I was contending with—but I didn’t have the language or context to recognize it at the time.
I’m glad the writing connected. Thank you—not just for the kind words, but for sharing your experience too.